Less than 24 hours after facing harsh criticism from a former player, the Detroit Pistons are back in the news —this time for harsh comments made by reigning NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.
On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics star spoke candidly during his team’s media day, sharing how they often play through their bench and role players such as Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser when facing teams like the Pistons — whom Brown mentioned specifically.
“We gonna play through Payton, let him go for 30. Play through Sam, let him shoot 10 threes tonight,” Brown said during a media day interview.” We gonna still win the game. It doesn’t have to be the normal way, but that gives those guys confidence. That gives those guys the ability to run free. We (are) gonna need that down the line.”
Ouch.
It’s not secret to anyone that the Pistons have struggled in recent years and that’s putting it kindly.
Since 2019, the Pistons have not only missed the playoffs but also haven’t finished with a .500 record, failing to win more than 23 games in any season. Last year, they finished 14-68, the worst mark in franchise history. The Pistons also tied the NBA’s longest losing streak at 28 games last December, a streak capped off by a loss to the Celtics, a game in which Brown did not play.
Brown’s comments follow criticism from ex-Pistons shooting guard Evan Fournier, who slammed the franchise for tanking last season and not prioritizing winning during an interview with Eurohoops.net.
While he said he didn’t mean to be disrespectful, it’ll be interesting to see how the Pistons respond to Brown’s comments when asked during their media day on Sept. 30. Criticism like this usually comes from fans, media analysts, or former players — not current stars.
If the Pistons want to make Brown regret his words, they’ll get their chance soon. Detroit hosts Boston on Oct. 26 at Little Caesars Arena, the first of three matchups this season.
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