Jaylen Brown was none too pleased with the quality of the NBA In-Season Tournament court at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
The Boston Celtics star slipped and fell late in Friday night's game against the Raptors and placed the blame squarely on the "unacceptable" floor. To make matters even worse, he claimed the slip caused him to strain his groin.
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"I slipped. That's it. I slipped," Brown said during his postgame press conference. "I think I might have strained my groin a little bit. We'll see how it feels, but the court was just slippery all game.
"I think as players we're all here for the In-Season Tournament because it's going to generate revenue, excitement, competition, but we've got to make sure the floor is safe to play on. We can't put our players out there and risk their health. Tonight I thought the floor was unacceptable. I think guys were slipping all over the place, not just me."
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Raptors big man Precious Achiuwa echoed Brown’s concerns with the court.
“It was slippery. I slipped a few times," he said, via TSN Sports' Josh Lewenberg. "I’m not trying to get hurt, especially for a guy that missed (time with a groin injury). Coming back, I’m extra cautious.”
The In-Season Tournament courts have drawn the ire of fans for their eccentric color schemes, but the quality of the court is the real issue. Several players slipped during Friday's game at Scotiabank Arena, and it could have resulted in more serious injuries.
Brown was fortunate to escape with only a strained groin, though his status will be worth monitoring heading into Sunday's game in Memphis. He finished the Celtics' 108-105 win over the Raptors with a team-high 23 points and four assists.
The C's improved to 10-2 on the season and 2-0 in the In-Season Tournament Group Stage as they earned their fifth consecutive victory. Sunday's game against the Grizzlies is set for 8 p.m. ET.