The Boston Celtics have endured a rather chaotic start to the offseason after getting eliminated from the playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers, thanks in large part to one of their superstar players, Jaylen Brown. Whether it be comments he’s making in the media or trade rumors that are swirling around him, Brown is at the center of pretty much every storyline surrounding the C’s currently.
Brown once again made headlines on Sunday night by taking aim at Stephen A. Smith during his latest stream on Twitch, which will all but ensure the chatter surrounding him won’t be dying down anytime soon. Elsewhere in his stream, Brown decided to take one last parting shot at the Sixers after they were brutally swept out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jaylen Brown Doesn’t Hold Back on the Sixers
“They was not the same team when they played the Knicks”
The Celtics’ season came to an unexpected end in the first round of the playoffs, as they allowed the 76ers to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to advance to the second round. Boston went cold from behind the arc at the worst possible time, and Jayson Tatum’s ill-timed calf injury caused him to miss a crucial Game 7 that his team would go on to barely lose.
Philadelphia played arguably its best basketball of the season in order to advance past Boston, but against New York, it looked nothing like the team it was during Games 5-7. The Knicks shut down the 76ers and easily swept them to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they will now face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers for a spot in the 2026 NBA Finals.
Brown has made his true thoughts on the Celtics’ series against the Sixers very clear on several occasions, but he didn’t miss the opportunity to throw shade at Boston’s longtime rival one last time. When discussing the series, Brown was critical of Philly, as he seemed to imply it was more focused on upsetting the Celtics than going on a deep playoff run.
“The Knicks destroyed Philadelphia … They played us extremely well, and I think they was not the same team when they played the Knicks,” Brown said during his stream. “It didn’t feel like it. It definitely didn’t look like it.”
Jaylen Brown’s Future with Celtics Uncertain as Offseason Gets Underway
GettyThe Celtics reportedly will explore potential trades for Jaylen Brown this offseason
Regardless of what was going on with the 76ers, there’s no question that the wheels fell off for the Celtics at the worst possible time. That’s likely due in large part to the fact that the team simply did not know how to respond to Tatum’s inclusion in the lineup after he missed the majority of the season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. During his absence, Brown took his game to another level, and once Tatum returned, the offense looked jumbled at times.
Brown and Tatum’s fit alongside each other is one of the biggest reasons why trade rumors have begun to swirl around the former star wing to begin the offseason. After crashing out of the playoffs, big changes could be made, and there’s a chance that moving on from Brown is something the front office feels will improve the team. Time will tell, but it seems like Brown is going to remain at the forefront of the rumor mill for the next few weeks.
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Takes Parting Shot at Sixers After Knicks Sweep