Brown Takes Blame for Celtics Loss; Porter Jr. Bolsters All-Star Bid; Powell Plays Through Calf Issue
brown-porter-all-star-powell-calf-update
Celtics
Boston guard Jaylen Brown poured in 34 points Monday night against Detroit but left the floor focusing on what went wrong. The Celtics fell by seven, and Brown missed seven free throws, a lapse he said cost his team a chance to close out the game.
“I’ve got to do better to get my team over the hump,” Brown said, according to The Athletic. “Too many missed free throws. Mindset-wise, I needed to be more for my team.”
Teammate Derrick White countered that Brown was being overly critical, noting that the willingness to self-evaluate is one of the All-Star’s strengths. Brown’s 34 came on a night when he still believed he “left too much on the table,” White added.
Nets
Forward Michael Porter Jr. continues to post career highs, averaging 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists for rebuilding Brooklyn. Advanced metrics highlighted by the New York Daily News place him firmly in the All-Star conversation, though the Nets’ record may limit his exposure.
Brooklyn is 6-3 when Porter scores at least 30. “Just look at what we look like when he’s on the court versus when he’s not,” center Nic Claxton said. “He does so much.”
Heat
Norman Powell appeared on Miami’s injury report with calf discomfort but suited up anyway, continuing a personal trend of playing through pain.
“I push my body to the limit,” Powell told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The guard is averaging 24.4 points and can enter unrestricted free agency this summer if no extension is reached. He also remains in pursuit of his first All-Star selection. “It’s always been a goal of mine,” he said. “My job is to go out there and play the best brand of basketball I can.”
Source: Hoops Wire
