Jaylen Brown will be looking for more energy from his team when the Boston Celtics take on the visiting Orlando Magic on Sunday.
Brown criticized his team’s effort after Boston dropped a 113-105 decision to Brooklyn at home on Friday night.
“Come ready to play, or don’t play at all,” the four-time All-Star said following the loss. “That’s my whole thing. We’ve gotta come ready to play. We just went through the motions. I don’t understand it.
“We need to play with an edge defensively and offensively. We’ve got to be the harder playing team. That can’t be negotiable. And (against the Nets) we weren’t. Brooklyn was the harder playing team. They played with more edge and they deserved to win.”
Five of Boston’s eight victories have come against sub-.500 teams. Nine of the team’s next 10 opponents currently have a winning record.
“Every game is a test, so I just take it one game at a time,” Brown said. “The schedule is the schedule, and we’ve just got to keep going. My focus is on: How can I better prepare myself, and how can I make my teammates better? But we’ve got to have some enthusiasm for the game. At the end of the day, you’ve got to play basketball.”
One positive in Boston’s loss was the performance turned in by Anfernee Simons, who played a season-high 33 minutes off the bench and scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. He also grabbed three rebounds, had two steals and tied for the team lead in assists with four.
It was the third time Simons has scored at least 20 points in a game this season, and his first game with at least 10 field goals since last March.
The Celtics will be facing one of the NBA’s hottest teams. Franz Wagner tossed in a season-high 37 points to help the Magic extend their winning streak to three games by beating New York, 133-121, at home Saturday night. Orlando, which will play its next three games on the road, has won six of its last seven and nine of its last 12.
“They guarded me with a big so I just tried to stay on the move and create good shots for the team,” Wagner said. “We just need to continue to play good team basketball. We didn’t play our best defensively (against the Knicks). Keep building and we’ll have a good trip.”
Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley did not coach in the second half against New York. He addressed the media following the game and said he felt light-headed and dizzy on the sideline, but expects to coach against Boston.
“(Wagner) is a tough cover for anyone,” Mosley said. “That’s why he should be mentioned as one of the big-time players in this league. … He plays both sides of the ball as well.”
Magic forward Paolo Banchero missed his fifth straight game Saturday because of a left groin strain. He is averaging 21.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 12 games this season. Mosley said Banchero will not play against the Celtics.
“He’s still doing non-contact work,” Mosley said. “Being able to get a little more cardio in.”
Orlando has scored at least 120 points in four of its last six games. The Magic scored 120 points or more 10 times last season.
–Field Level Media
