Jaylen Brown was a restricted participant in Friday’s Celtics follow after struggling a hamstring damage in Wednesday’s preseason finale.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned Brown “was capable of do all the pieces however the dwell stuff” in the course of the follow, which was closed to the media. He described Brown’s standing as “daily.”
“I haven’t caught up with him but,” Mazzulla mentioned after follow. “I anticipate him to be at his finest each single day, after which we’ll take it from there. However simply at some point at a time.”
Mazzulla mentioned after Wednesday’s sport — a 110-108 win over the Toronto Raptors at TD Backyard — that Brown informed him he could be “tremendous.” Brown left after seven minutes with what the staff referred to as left hamstring tightness and didn’t return.
The damage places Brown’s availability for subsequent Wednesday’s regular-season opener in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers in query. Dropping the four-time All-Star wing for any time period could be a significant blow for Boston, as he’s set to be the Celtics’ No. 1 choice this season with Jayson Tatum recovering from Achilles surgical procedure.
“You by no means need to lose Jaylen, however on the finish of the day, there’s no wanting over the shoulder,” Mazzulla mentioned when requested how the staff responded to Brown’s early exit. “That is what we now have now; that is what we now have to win. So we simply have to take care of that degree of self-awareness of, that is the place we’re, that is what we now have, that is what’s happening within the atmosphere. How will we adapt to that, after which we’ve simply bought to go. So I believe I assumed we did that fairly effectively (in opposition to Toronto).”
Brown lacking time would place extra strain on gamers like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard to hold the Celtics’ offense. White crammed that function in opposition to the Raptors, racking up 33 factors, 9 rebounds, six assists and three blocks in 35 minutes. Pritchard went an uncharacteristic 1-for-11 from the sector and 0-for-8 from 3-point vary within the win, however he dished out a team-high 10 assists and completed as a plus-19.
Pritchard, who’s anticipated to maneuver into the beginning lineup after successful NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months final season, mentioned he’ll take the identical strategy if Brown is in or out.
“I by no means take a look at it like that,” he mentioned. “I simply play the identical approach regardless. Make the fitting reads, make the fitting passes, make the fitting photographs. You must by no means consider, like, when someone’s popping out, you’ve bought to play a sure approach. For me, regardless of who’s on the court docket, if that’s the fitting shot I’ve bought to take, I’ve bought to take it. If it’s the fitting cross to make, I’ve bought to make that cross. That’s how basketball ought to be seen.”
With Tatum sidelined indefinitely, the Celtics entered coaching camp with little confirmed wing depth behind Brown and Sam Hauser. Free agent signee Josh Minott was essentially the most impactful reserve choice in the course of the preseason, with first-round draft choose Hugo Gonzalez additionally wanting like a direct contributor as a 19-year-old rookie. Third-year professional Jordan Walsh and second-year professional Baylor Scheierman additionally had constructive moments, although Walsh missed two video games with an adductor damage whereas Scheierman shot the ball poorly and struggled with turnovers.
All 4 might see bigger roles if Brown can’t go in opposition to Philly.
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