"It's Mind-Boggling": Celtics Coach Trashes Jaylen Brown

 

It's been a bizarre and frustrating start to the season for the Boston Celtics. The same can be said for their star swingman Jaylen Brown. Tearing it up for a couple of games, then being a non-factor in others. His new head coach, Ime Udoka, isn't a fan of the volatile trend.

Ime Udoka said the contrast between Jaylen Brown on some nights vs him in certain other games is “mind boggling.”

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) October 28, 2021

Rare is the coach who makes a habit of blasting his players in public through the media (Toronto's Nick Nurse is one who has no problem doing it). But it appears to be one of the tactics of Boston rookie coach Udoka, who said this about Brown after another disappointing Celtics loss (to the Washington Wizards), in which Jaylen shot 5/16:

"I'm trying to ramp him up during the game, pump him up to get going. But the contrast of some of those previous games, especially Charlotte and the New York game and the way you see him come out tonight is kind of mind boggling."

Before the game, Udoka already saw signs in practice, from the entire team, and warned: “I told them that you’re going to get your ass kicked tonight if you come with that focus in the game,” Udoka said. “And for three quarters we played the same way.”

Brown dropped 46 in the Celtics' season opener, and has alternated all-star performances with complete duds since then. 

In fairness, Brown missed much of the preseason with Covid-19, and he's coming back from a knee injury this season as well. And Udoka admits these are factors. But he still wants to ensure he's motivating Brown as necessary:

“A lot of different ways to do it, but just when you see it from the get-go,” Udoka said, “really grab him and talk to him and tell him, ‘You got to carry the load tonight, especially when Jayson is out.’"

The Celtics, as a whole, have been wildly inconsistent thus far through five games; they hope to ride the coaster back up on Saturday night in a rematch with the Wizards, this time in Washington.

Photo Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports