Boston Celtics
Joe Mazzulla stated Brown is “day-to-day”.
The phrases “Achilles” and “Celtics star” in the identical sentence have grow to be all too acquainted for Boston followers up to now 12 months.
Jayson Tatum returned to play earlier this month, coming off the Achilles tear he suffered final Could. He has but to get again to his true kind, significantly from the sphere, however he has been a productive and impactful member of the group, meshing effectively with the remainder of the roster.
Whereas Celtics followers have loved seeing Tatum again on the parquet, particularly contemplating Boston has gained seven of its 9 video games that Tatum has performed in, an Achilles damage is affecting the group’s different star: Jaylen Brown.
Brown appeared on Boston’s damage report with left Achilles tendinitis forward of its matchup with the Atlanta Hawks at TD Backyard Friday evening. The Celtics originally labeled him as questionable to play with calf tightness on Thursday’s damage report.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla provided a optimistic replace on Brown’s well being whereas talking with reporters earlier than Friday’s recreation.
“Day-to-day,” Mazzulla stated of Brown. “He was in as we speak, he had therapy. Day-to-day.”
When requested if he expects Brown to overlook a number of video games because of the damage, Mazzulla reiterated that the participant’s standing is “day-to-day”.
Brown is coming off a formidable 31-point performance towards the reigning NBA champion Thunder Wednesday, leading to a 119-109 victory for Boston and ending Oklahoma Metropolis’s 12-game win streak. Brown scored 14 of his factors within the third quarter to place the Celtics on high getting into the fourth quarter.
Brown, 29, has been Boston’s most vital participant this season. The Celtics have been largely anticipated to have a “bridge 12 months” given Tatum’s main damage and weren’t anticipated to have the 48-24 file and second-place standing within the Japanese Convention that they at the moment possess on the finish of March.
Brown, who earned his fifth All-Star nod this 12 months, has performed in 65 of Boston’s 72 video games performed up to now and has carried out like a reliable MVP candidate from the beginning. He’s averaging the fifth-most factors per recreation within the NBA (28.6), which is a career-high, behind the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, and the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey.
Brown’s 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists per recreation are additionally career-best numbers, in addition to his 80.2 free-throw proportion. He’s additionally making an attempt the most free-throws of his profession (7.5 per recreation) and essentially the most area objectives (10.3). Brown leads the league in two-point area objective makes an attempt with 16.0 this season, getting into Friday.
If Boston have been to be with out Brown for any prolonged time period, it’s laborious to think about the group not struggling down the stretch, particularly if Tatum doesn’t absolutely return to his true kind quickly.
Together with Friday’s Hawks recreation, the Celtics have 10 common season contests remaining. Boston will play back-to-back towards the Hornets Sunday and Atlanta once more Monday.
The Celtics’ most vital matchup remaining shall be with the Knicks on April 9. New York finds itself in third place within the East, trailing Boston by one recreation within the standings.
As for the remainder of Boston’s damage report, Nikola Vucevic stays out with a proper ring finger fracture. Nevertheless, Derrick White (proper knee contusion) and Neemias Queta (proper thumb sprain) can be found.
Tipoff between the Celtics and Hawks in Boston is about for 7:30 PM Japanese Time.
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