Jaylen Brown leads the Celtics to victory the day after the death of his best friend

Jaylen Brown was the Boston Celtics’ best player Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors, even though his mind wasn’t really on the game. His best friend, Trevin Steede, had died suddenly the day before.

“I just felt I was out there playing, like I didn’t know who was out there,” Brown said after contributing 22 points and seven rebounds during the Celtics’ 92-88 win. “I just felt like it was me and him. I was just out there playing, and I wasn’t thinking. I was just getting up and down the floor.”

Brown didn’t provide any details about Steede’s death. He said they met at Wheeler High near Atlanta after Brown transferred there to play basketball. Brown ate lunch by himself his first few days at the school, until Steede invited the new kid to sit at his table.

“Ever since then, we’ve been like best friends,” Brown said. “… Ever since then, that’s been my brother.”

Brown initially got permission from Celtics coach Brad Stevens to skip Thursday’s game as he dealt with the tragedy.

“It was hard kind of getting my thoughts together, but after talking to his mom and his family, they inspired me to come out and play,” Brown said. “I wasn’t in shape to come out. I didn’t want to leave my room. But they inspired me to come out and play, and I came out and played in his spirit today. ...

“I knew coming into today that he would have wanted me to play. My teammates helped me out, picking me up. They knew that I was down. They knew that basketball was my escape.”

Brown later tweeted a photo of himself holding a basketball and standing beside his buddy with the message: “That one was for you bro !!”

After the game, teammate Kyrie Irving gave Brown the game ball.

“To be able to go there and perform the way he did, I knew exactly who the game ball was going to,” Irving said. “He’s playing not only for the Boston Celtics but he’s playing for his best friend. You got to commend him for doing that. I’m nothing short of proud of him.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii