A few Boston Celtics players -- notably Kyrie Irving -- have opened up about the team's struggles during a disappointing road trip.
On Monday night, it was Jaylen Brown's turn.
Following a 109-102 loss, the Celtics' third in a row, Brown was asked about how the team can play less uptight and gave a noteworthy answer.
"We've just got to have each other’s back at the end of the day," Brown said. "We can’t make comments. We can’t point fingers. We've just got to continue to empower each other and have each other’s back.
“If we don’t, and we start pointing fingers, everybody’s going to go into their own little shell. We've got to continue to play basketball. It starts from the top to the bottom. Not from the bottom to the top, but from the top to the bottom.
"So, we've got to continue to empower each other and make the best of this. We've got a lot of talent here. We know what we’re capable of doing. It’s just a matter of going out and doing it. Playing free, playing loose, and having fun.”
Brown's answer came after a previous question about an impromptu team discussion led by Irving, who sat out Monday's game with a quad injury. Irving also talked at length about needing more from his teammates -- specifically the younger players -- following Saturday's loss to the Orlando Magic.
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Reading between the lines, this appears to be Brown's response to Irving's challenge, as the 22-year-old guard seems to prefer continuity over chatter.
Brown also made a statement on the court, scoring 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting with six rebounds in Monday's loss. But he and his teammates will need to be on the same page Wednesday at TD Garden against the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors.
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