The Philadelphia 76ers fell in a much-anticipated matchup against the Celtics. Boston won the game 123-101. It was the first time that Jaylen Brown took on his former team in a regular-season game. He did not play well in this game.
Brown finished the game 4-for-9 shooting for only 13 points. He also had a -27 while he was on the floor. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum played well against his former teammate. 76ers coach Nick Nurse explained why Brown played so poorly in his first game against his former team.
Nick Nurse Explains Why Jaylen Brown Played Poorly in 76ers Loss
Nurse thought that the early foul trouble Brown found himself in prevented him from being able to get in an offensive rhythm at any point.
“He had a tough night. It started really tough for him in the beginning, getting in foul trouble right from the start. Then he gets another one early in the second half. So he really had no chance to get going. And that made it tough. They did a pretty good job of swarming him and sending multiple defenders.”
Brown was never able to figure out how the Celtics were defending him, and that kept him from having any sort of impact. That’s tough for him, considering he made it a point not to dap up Tatum before the game began as Tatum was trying to acknowledge him before the game.
With the loss, the Sixers now swap spots with Boston in the standings. The Celtics are now the top team in the Eastern Conference, as Philly drops to second. That doesn’t matter as much at this point in the season, but it does show how close these teams are.
Philly has to figure out a way to get Brown more involved the next time these two teams play. That won’t be for a while, as the next matchup isn’t until January 21. That game will be in Boston, which might see Brown get a frosty reception.
The Sixers Are Trying to Get Through Some Growing Pains
Despite a strong record, there are some growing pains that the 76ers are trying to get through. The Sixers are trying to develop some chemistry. Even Brown acknowledged that fact. The stats would show that they haven’t quite gotten everything figured out yet offensively.
To this point in the season, Philly has the ninth-worst offensive rating in the NBA. They have been propped up by the defense thus far. There are still too many possessions where they are trying to figure out who should be shooting the ball. Fixing that takes time.
As for Brown against the Celtics, he would likely say that this is just one game of 82 he has to play. However, this one likely had a little more meaning to him. The next matchup in Boston might, as well.
76ers Coach Nick Nurse Explains Why Jaylen Brown Floundered vs. Celtics