Boston Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown received pain management injections in his right knee this week to help promote healing before the playoffs, league sources told ESPN’s Romanda Shelburne on Saturday.
Jaylen Brown To Miss 65-Game Requirement For Postseason Awards
The four-time All-Star has been dealing with a bone bruise in his knee throughout the course of the season. However, the pain reportedly worsened more recently.
Brown, 28, only played 22 minutes in the Celtics’ 119-117 overtime win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
The nine-year veteran then missed Thursday’s 96-76 loss to the Orlando Magic, a game which caused him to miss the 65-game requirement to be eligible for postseason awards.
Brown is expected to be ready for the start of the Celtics’ first-round playoff series either April 19 or 20. If last year’s Finals MVP doesn’t play in the regular-season finale Sunday against the Hornets, that will give him at least 10 full days of rest between games.
The Celtics have listed Brown on the injury report with a knee issue dating back to March 2. He has missed eight games since that date, including three straight from March 18-23.
Speaking to reporters after Boston’s 124-103 loss to the Miami Heat on April 2, Brown also said then he was “in some pain” and finding ways to push through it.
Kristaps Porzingis Says Brown Should Rest Before Playoffs
Following Boston’s overtime win against the Knicks, Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis urged Brown to rest his injury in order for the defending champs to play at full strength in the playoffs.
“He’s a tough dude,” Porzingis said. “He always preaches his warrior mindset. He lives by it. But to what extent do we need that right now? Maybe he needs to take care of it and make sure he’s going to be ready for the most important moment.
“I think we need to encourage him to make sure he does everything he needs to prepare to get it healthy and to prepare for what’s going to come.”
In 63 games (all starts) this season, Brown is averaging 22.2 points,5.8 rebounds, a career-high 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 34.3 minutes per contest while shooting 46.3% from the field, 32.4% from 3-point range, and 76.4% at the free throw line.
Brown hasn’t played more than 30 minutes in a game since March 12 versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Celtics have already clinched the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston will play the winner of the play-in tournament game between the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic in the first round.
