Brett Brown has no emotions coming back to the arena where his season ended last year.
At least, that's what he's telling reporters.
Brown was asked what it was like being back in Toronto for the first time since the Philadelphia 76ers lost a heartbreaking Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals a year ago. While he acknowledges it was a tough loss, he's already over it.
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"You have memories of the series. It was so competitive and at the end a tough loss, but to manufacture wild emotions would not be true for me," Brown said, via TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "So here we are... I'm over it.
"Maybe it's not gonna make for good headlines, but it's true."
It took a monumental shot from Kawhi Leonard to eliminate the 76ers in last year's playoffs. Since then, Brown and the 76ers have seen roster turnover and a whole lot of changes in the Eastern Conference, one that includes a Raptors team without Leonard.
Even without Leonard, the Raptors have gotten off to a strong start this season with an 11-4 record, tied with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. One of Philadelphia's new players, Al Horford, credits Toronto's coaching staff with the development of the team.
"I think that their coaching staff does a great job of bringing along the next group of young players," Horford said. "Obviously, it's a big difference without Kawhi but they're still a team that you have to consider at the very top of the East."
The Raptors and 76ers play the first of four meetings Monday night at Scotiabank Arena.
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