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Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during introductions prior to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Boston Celtics lost a Game 7 to the Philadelphia 7ers for the first time in 44 years on Saturday, but it wasn’t Jaylen Brown’s fault — not on paper, at least.
Brown finished with a team-high 33 points, including 20 in the second half, to script Boston’s turnaround after the home team trailed by 18 points late in the third quarter.
However, if one digs deeper into the numbers, Brown (-19) was a net-negative player for the Celtics in their final three losses in Games 5, 6 and 7.
The Celtics were outscored by a staggering 57 points with Brown on the floor as they squandered a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history. Brown shot a paltry 41.8% from the field and 31.6% from three during the three consecutive losses.
Derrick White was also a concerning -45 during this timeframe, but the blowout losses in Games 5 and 6 — when the C’s lost by an average margin of 14.5 points — severely hampered his net rating. The All-Defensive star was much better in Game 7, finishing a -6 on the floor to go with his series-best stat line of 26 points and five made threes.
On Saturday, Brown was back in the same spot he was in the first 62 games of the regular season — playing without his co-star Jayson Tatum, who was ruled out just hours before the game with a knee injury.
Brown, however, refused to make any excuses after Boston’s season-ending loss.
“No feelings of regret whatsoever,” Brown said after Boston’s 109-100 loss in Game 7.
“Obviously, we would have liked to close it out … but Philadelphia is a good basketball team, and they’ve gotten better since the regular season.”
“It’s the playoffs. We knew it was going to be a fight, and we didn’t expect nothing less. Nothing to hang our head over. Got no regrets.”
All things considered, the Celtics had a darn good 2025-26 campaign. Many expected them to endure a gap year after Tatum was expected to sit out for most of the season. Yet, they won 56 games and entered the playoffs as the favorites to win the East.
“Great season,” Brown stressed.
“Obviously, it didn’t finish the way we would’ve liked. I give credit to Philadelphia. I watched them get better as the series went on. But just for our guys to come out in a Game 7 and play with that level of intensity and trust, that’s the style we felt like we’ve been doing all year, and I loved it.
“In the fourth quarter we had some great looks I wish would’ve went down,” Brown added. “But nothing to hang my head over. Nothing for us to hang our head over.”
Although the Celtics are no longer a second-apron team, they lack much maneuverability to upgrade the roster ahead of next season, unless they make the drastic call of trading Derrick White or one of either Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum.
“Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will combine to make $115M next season,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel highlighted. “Derrick White has three more years left on his deal worth over $97M. 8 players are under contract, plus the 27th pick. Queta, Walsh, and Harper have minimum team options. Not much room to make an addition.”
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will combine to make $115M next season.
Derrick White has three more years left on his deal worth over $97M.
8 players are under contract, plus the 27th pick. Queta, Walsh, and Harper have minimum team options.
Not much room to make an addition.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided's Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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