Updated May 18, 2026, 2:03 p.m. ET BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown and ESPN talking head Stephen A. Smith have been exchanging blows online and in the media for years now. And while they had a temporary truce following the Celtics’ 2024 title run, in which Brown was named NBA Finals MVP, that period of peace is long gone. After the Celtics were bounced from the 2026 NBA Playoffs in the first round by the rival Philadelphia 76ers, Brown went on his Twitch stream, as he’s done all year, to discuss the defeat. Smith, who is known for his hot takes on ESPN, criticized Brown for going live following the Green Team’s Game 7 loss in early May. The longest-tenured Celtic wasn’t a fan of Smith’s words, telling the basketball pundit that he should retire in order to “give the people what they want.” Smith then responded on his show, “First Take,” and took a shot at the five-time All-Star’s relationship with Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum, mentioning how Tatum has been on his program before but not on stream with Brown. Of course, Brown wasn’t going to let that petty comment go unnoticed. During a Sunday night Twitch
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