Celtics' Brown optimistic following Finals defeat: 'The future is bright'

The Boston Celtics tried to remain positive following their 103-90 Game 6 loss at home Thursday to lose the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Instead of dwelling on coming up two games short of a championship, Celtics star Jaylen Brown - the team's leading scorer in the Finals at 23.5 points per game - looked toward what's next.

"The future is bright," Brown told reporters postgame, including ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "I always look at adversity as opportunities to shape an individual. For whatever reason, it wasn't our time. That means we still got a lot to learn."

The Celtics showed their fight and determination throughout the series, qualities that defined the team throughout the 2021-22 campaign after a rough start to the regular season.

Boston fought back again Thursday, recovering from a 21-0 run and a deficit as large as 22 points to cut Golden State's lead to single digits with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest.

However, Jayson Tatum, the team's lone All-Star, scored just two points the rest of the way, and the Celtics faltered in the final frame. Tatum expressed his disappointment following the contest for failing to make an impact when it mattered most.

"It hurts. You know, we all could have done things better. I feel like I could have done a lot of things better," said Tatum. "But, you know, like we said, we competed, we tried all season, all playoffs."

Despite the loss, the youthful duo of Brown, 25, and Tatum, 24, will have plenty of opportunities to return to the league's biggest stage. Four of the Celtics' five starters are under contract for at least the next two seasons.

"For me, it's always about growth," said Brown. "Continuing to get better, continuing to find different ways to lead. That's what it's about. The future is bright. I'm excited to get back next year."