The Boston Celtics let the New York Knicks run away with a critical Game 4 victory in Madison Square Garden late last night, putting their own title defense in

To his credit, Brown wasn’t going to spout some tired, trite next-man-up clichés in that moment. Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ best player, who’d been brilliant on Monday, was hurt badly. There is no next man who fills those shoes.

The Celtics are in a 3-1 series hole after dropping Game 4 on Monday in Madison Square Garden, shellshocked not only by the loss of Tatum but by the reality of facing elimination when the plan was to repeat as champions.