The Celtics are reversed again! If the Celtics are eliminated in this round, the Rockets can fight for Jaylen Brown!

The Celtics are reversed and fall into a desperate situation. The Rockets may aim at Jaylen Brown to embark on a new journey?

In a focus game between the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals that ended today, the Celtics once again became the backbone of the reversal. Facing the Knicks, the Celtics collapsed in the final quarter with a double-digit lead for a while and lost by 1 point. They fell behind 0-2 in the series and fell into an extremely dangerous situation. If they are eliminated in this round of the series, the team may face major changes, and the Rockets are very likely to strive for Jaylen Brown, the core of the team.

The process of this game is ups and downs. In the first quarter, the Celtics performed well on the defensive end, limiting the Knicks' three-point shooting percentage to 0, leading 24-13 in a single quarter. In the second quarter, Downs of the Knicks exploded in the inside, scoring 10 points and 10 rebounds in a single quarter, leading the team to counterattack. Despite this, the Celtics still entered the second half with a 9-point advantage. The turning point occurred in the final quarter, with Bridges of the Knicks scoring 14 points in a single quarter, Towns, Brunson and others also hit key goals one after another, while the Celtics were in a scoring drought. In the last moment, both sides led alternately, and Brunson made both free throws after causing a foul to help the Knicks complete the final kill 91-90.

data shows that the Celtics performed poorly in this game, with only 10 of 40 shots in the game. The core player Tatum was in poor offense, making only 5 of 19 shots, scoring 13 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 interruptions; Jaylen Brown performed relatively stablely, scoring 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 interruptions. For the Knicks, Towns contributed a super double-double of 21 points and 17 rebounds, Hart scored 23 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, Brunson scored 17 points and hit a free throw at a critical moment, becoming a key figure in the team's reversal. It is worth mentioning that the Celtics led by 20 points in the first two games of this round of series and were reversed by their opponents, setting an embarrassing record in NBA playoff history. If the Celtics are eliminated in this round, the team's lineup is very likely to face adjustments. According to previous reports, Jaylen Brown was dissatisfied with the team's management's commitment to renew the contract and the coach's tactical philosophy. If the Celtics perform poorly this season, Brown will likely leave the team.

For the Rockets, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs this season, revealing the team's lack of stable scoring points at critical moments. Jaylen Brown is a star player with both offense and defense in the league, with excellent scoring ability and defensive awareness. If Brown can be obtained, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance the Rockets' strength. The Rockets hold multiple first-round picks, such as the Suns' first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029, the Mavericks' first-round picks in 2029, and the Nets' first-round swap rights in 2027. In addition, Shinkyung, Green, Dillon Brooks, Smith Jr., Whitmore, Shepard and others all have trading value and can be used to match salary and serve as trading chips, which gives the Rockets enough negotiating capital in the pursuit of Brown.

However, it is not easy for the Rockets to get Jaylen Brown. On the one hand, the Celtics are not necessarily willing to let this core player go easily, they may continue to build a championship lineup around Brown and Tatum; on the other hand, other teams may also be interested in Brown and the Rockets will face fierce competition. But anyway, if the Celtics are out, Brown's trade rumors will surely become the focus of the offseason, and the Rockets are undoubtedly one of the teams that have the most hope of getting him. Next, let's wait and see what exciting stories will happen in the NBA offseason.