Jaylen Brown of the Celtics Describes Losing to the Knicks as a ‘Crushing Blow’

After the Boston Celtics’ crushing 119-81 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, star player Jaylen Brown shared a heartfelt message with fans.

“Ending our season in May feels strange. It’s definitely not the outcome we envisioned,” said Brown, who led his team with 20 points before fouling out late in the third quarter after turning the ball over seven times.

Reflecting on the disappointing series, Brown added, “Things didn’t break our way this year, which is tough to swallow. Losing to the Knicks stings deeply, like a part of you is gone. But I believe in bouncing back, and we’ll gear up for the next chapter.”

Celtics Struggle in Lopsided Game 6 Loss
The Celtics, who became the first NBA team to surrender consecutive 20-point leads in the opening two games of a playoff series, were overmatched on Friday as the Knicks surged to a 41-point lead at one stage.

Despite forcing a Game 6 with a gritty win in Boston, the Celtics couldn’t withstand the Knicks’ momentum, especially after losing Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles in Game 4.

Adding to Boston’s woes, Kristaps Porzingis never fully recovered his form in the series, managing just 15.5 minutes per game over six appearances. The former All-Star, who had averaged 25 points against New York in the regular season, struggled mightily, shooting just 6-of-25 and averaging 4.2 points in the series.

“It’s incredibly frustrating, just not being able to contribute more, especially with JT sidelined,” Porzingis admitted. “It’s a deep, personal disappointment.”

A Season of Highs and Crushing Lows
The Celtics had a record-setting regular season, becoming the first team to attempt nearly 4,000 three-pointers and sinking 1,457 of them, both new league highs.

However, their long-range shooting fell apart in the playoffs, including a disastrous 45 missed threes in Game 1 against New York, an NBA postseason record.

Reflecting on the abrupt end to the season, Celtics guard Derrick White, who scored eight points in Game 6, said, “You never get a season like this back. You never have the same team again. It’s a tough pill to swallow right now.”

This series marked the Celtics’ first second-round exit since their 2019 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.