Jaylen Brown’s first game against Boston since the offseason trade came with plenty of noise before tipoff and an even rougher finish on the scoreboard.
The Philadelphia 76ers forward was at the center of attention before Tuesday’s matchup when Jayson Tatum reached out in what looked like an attempt to greet him. Brown barely responded, a small moment that immediately fed the conversation around their reunion. Afterward, though, Brown brushed it aside and said his mind was elsewhere.
“I’m just focused on coming out and doing what’s best for my team,” Brown said in comments shared by ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “To be honest, I wasn’t paying attention. But credit to Jayson, he played well tonight.”
Brown’s night never really settled in. He finished with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting and ended up with a game-worst minus-27 as Philadelphia was outscored during his minutes. Brown pointed to foul trouble as the thing that threw him off, not any lingering emotion from facing his old team.
The bigger damage came from Boston’s side of the trade. Paul George, the player the Celtics acquired in the Brown deal, turned in the best performance of the night with 36 points against his former team. He hit 14 of 22 shots and went 6 of 11 from three-point range as Boston rolled to a 123-101 win.
Tatum also did his part, scoring 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Afterward, he made it clear he wasn’t interested in turning the pregame moment into a storyline.
“No headlines about anything like that,” Tatum said, explaining that he was preparing to compete and help Boston win.
The matchup had already been simmering before the opening tip. On Sunday, Brown had said there wasn’t much to say now that he and Tatum were on different teams.
“Both of us are trying to win, so nothing to talk about. Just check the ball up,” Brown said.
Brown later gave Tatum credit, but the night belonged to Boston. The Celtics improved to 9-2 and moved ahead of Philadelphia, which fell to 9-3, for first place in the Eastern Conference.
For Brown, the reunion ended with an awkward pregame moment, a quiet scoring night and a loss to the team he used to lead.
In Other News...
Neemias Queta Just Gave The Celtics A Real Embiid Answer
Neemias Queta has spent the season looking more and more like a useful piece for Boston, and his latest work against Philadelphia only strengthened that case. In the Celtics win over the 76ers, he chipped in 4 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists while giving the team a sturdier presence in the middle, the kind of minutes that can matter against a frontcourt centerpiece like Joel Embiid.
What stood out was not just the size, but the discipline. Queta showed the benefits of his offseason development by moving with better control on defense and making smarter decisions as a passer, helping Boston keep Embiid from getting comfortable and preserving the kind of edge that comes with beating a direct conference rival. The result also helped the Celtics stay in first place in the Eastern Conference, which is exactly the sort of payoff they need from a young big finding his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Are Forcing A Bigger Title Debate Than Fans Expected
Bostons early-season start has already pushed the Celtics into a bigger conversation than most people expected this soon. After the win over Philadelphia, they sit atop the Eastern Conference at 9-2, and the numbers back up what the eye test has suggested so far: this group has looked balanced, deep, and difficult to play against on both ends.
What makes the discussion more interesting is how complete the profile has been across the board. Basketball Reference has the Celtics near the top in offensive, defensive and net rating, a combination that usually belongs to teams with real championship traction rather than clubs still settling into November. It is early, of course, but Boston has done enough to make the title debate feel less like hype and more like a legitimate question. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Suddenly Have A Paul George Concern Fans Can't Ignore
The Celtics head into their next stretch with a small but notable wrinkle on the injury report, as Paul George will sit out the upcoming game against Toronto because of an illness. It is a brief absence, but it comes at an awkward time for Boston, which has leaned on Georges steady production early this season and has seen him settle in as one of the teams most reliable options.
George had just been at the center of Bostons win over the 76ers, and his recent form has only reinforced how important he has become to the rotation. He has missed only one other game this season, so this will amount to a rare pause, with extra recovery time now built in before the Celtics see Dallas next. [Read more 🡒]