Brown’s message didn’t come across as a challenge. It sounded more like encouragement, the words of a caring teammate looking to empower one of his brothers.
With 21 games left, the Celtics need to concentrate on holding off the Knicks for the second seed. New York’s rally and overtime win over the Heat on Sunday kept them within 2½ games. The two teams meet once more in New York on April 8, and the path to the second seed means taking care of business against the lesser teams.