Analysis: Why Jaylen Brown remains optimistic while the Celtics future is uncertain

Celtics star Jaylen Brown made it clear that he did not want Boston to lose to the Knicks in Game 6 to "become the end of the team."

Boston - Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals is like the end of a new era not only for the Boston Celtics, but also for Boston Sports. On Friday night, the Celtics lost to the Knicks 81-119, officially ending Boston's pursuit of the defending champion and opening an offseason full of uncertainty.

Despite the uncertainty of the future of the Celtics, star Jaylen Brown has not succumbed to the current haze that shrouds Boston.

"The way we were out tonight was tough," he admitted at his last post-match press conference of the season. "But personally, we ended the season in this way, insisting on overcoming the physical challenges I once tried to overcome, and I'm proud of our team."

"I think we've tried our best. We've gone through a lot of battles, and there's a lot to be excited about. This journey is not the end. For me, it's not the end."

The lingering knee injury prevented Brown from completing the regular season, which also clearly affected his athleticism in the playoffs. However, his injury is only the slightest health issue for the Boston Celtics.

Celtics center Christapus Porzingis has been fighting the disease for most of the playoffs, which makes him act like an empty shell. In 10 playoff games, his shooting percentage was terrible, with only 32%, and his three-point shooting percentage was at the bottom of the team, with only 12.5%.

For the Boston Celtics, the real blow came from Game 4 against the Knicks. At the end of the fourth quarter, Celtics star Jason Tatum had a ruptured right Achilles tendon, leaving him missing the remaining series and possibly even for most of the 2025-26 season.

What is the current situation? What is the current situation in the Celtics and Boston sports world?

Tatum's tragic injury has left Boston fans questioning the Celtics' prospects for next season, although they are arguably better than the other major sports teams in the city in some ways.

The Boston Bruins have just begun to rebuild after setting their first defeat since 2007; the New England Patriots are trying to reverse the team's downturn after a four-win season; the Boston Red Sox's winning rate hovers around 50%, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

In this city where the sporty atmosphere dominates emotions, the atmosphere in Boston is terrible. The Knicks scored the biggest net win in the team's history in Friday's playoffs, but that didn't help, but Brown was determined to rebound strongly. After the crushing defeat, he felt as if he was talking directly to Boston, hoping to inject some optimism into the city.

"I look forward to returning with a stronger posture," he said. "You just need to accept it with your head held high." I know Boston looks a little gloomy now. Obviously, JT is absent, and we are almost over this year, but there is still a lot to look forward to. I hope the city is excited about it. This is not the end, so I'm looking forward to what happens next.

Next season, Tatum is recovering and the defending NBA Finals MVP may take control of Boston's offense. But what will happen to the team's roster in the end is unknown as the Celtics will have to cut their wages significantly to avoid the penalty from the "No. 2 apron" and high luxury taxes.

Brown will earn $53 million in the 2025-26 season, ranking second among the Celtics. Also starting the game, Porzingis and defender Ju Holiday will also pay more than $30 million next season, which will put the Celtics in financial trouble.

In view of these funding issues, Celtics guard Derek White knows that the 2024-25 season may be the last season of Boston's current championship core lineup.

"This sucks," White told reporters. "We will never go back to this season. We will never have a team that is exactly the same as before."

The Celtics will not apologize for giving their all.

Whatever changes this summer, the Celtics can get some comfort from the fact that the final goal was achieved last season. Of course, the goal for 2025 is to win the championship again, but there is a reason why the Celtics have failed to achieve two consecutive titles since 1969.

It is not easy to win all the championships - especially in today's NBA, it is almost impossible to win two consecutive championships. In the past seven seasons, no team has even been able to win the league championship again. The new labor-management agreement is also useless. In a league that requires paying for all players from the cornerstone of the team to key role players, maintaining a winning team’s cohesion is more expensive than ever.

All of these factors explain why the Celtics lost this season, however, Brown, White and the rest of the team didn’t want to make excuses.

They had the chance to beat the Knicks in Game 1 and 2, but they were wasted two 20-point leads, putting them in the quagmire of the series, and injuries and illnesses were even worse. They admit their mistakes, but they will not apologize for trying their best to win.

"That's the price you pay for your goal," said Celtics head coach Joe Mazura. "That's how it is. But I really thank these players - for their contributions as individuals and for their contributions as teams."

Although the Celtics are currently shrouded in uncertainty, Boston still maintains good cohesion in the locker room. The Celtics fought for each other in the 2024-25 season and responded with a dominant fifth game to extend the second round of the series when Tatum was injured.

"I love playing with these players in the locker room," White said. "I'm most proud of being able to wear Boston Celtics jerseys with these amazing people."

However, that's not enough, which shows that the Celtics are still fighting in Tatum's absence. As a core player in Boston and one of the most vocal leaders on the team, Brown will work to consolidate that determination over the coming months. As the team's lineup has not been determined and the situation in the Eastern Conference is changing rapidly, it remains to be seen whether Boston will be competitive next season.

But at least, Brown will do his best to make the Celtics more competitive. After being selected by the Celtics in 2016, he promised to fight for the Celtics, and so far he has fulfilled that promise. After all, the city needs him now.