Jaylen Brown’s Injury Management Continues as He Sits Out Key Games

In the wake of Brown’s injury Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics is out today. He is still trying to overcome a very annoying right knee injury. That’s no small feat, considering that the player carried the team to last spring’s championship run and was awarded the title of Finals MVP. Yet his minutes have dropped dramatically over the last month. The reduction in minutes was meant to aid his recovery. Brown not appearing for Friday’s win against the Charlotte Hornets, and now specifically missing Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Hornets, highlights just how bad his condition has gotten.

Over the past week, Brown underwent pain-management injections to reduce pain in his knee. These injections are only one piece of the extensive rehabilitation process that is instrumental in getting him back to his highest level of performance. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla later confirmed that Brown decided to take a break on his own. He drove home the point that self-management is essential to injury recovery.

It was less, he makes that call, Mazzulla said, suggesting that Brown’s decision is a sign of his dedication to coming back at full strength. The coach expressed confidence in Brown’s readiness for the playoffs, noting, “I am a hundred percent confident Jaylen will be ready for the start of the playoffs.”

With the Celtics looking to make a deep postseason run, Brown’s absence gives cause to speculate how it might affect his team’s title chances. Last season, he was great as New York’s primary defender matched up against the most talented opposing scorers. His health became priority number one for both Brown and the coaching staff. They take their time and focus on his rehabilitation, not getting him back on the court immediately.

The injury has kept Brown sidelined to just 13 games played. Mazzulla said it was very important to limit Tatum’s minutes this early on to help him recover. Brown too is hell bent on returning to his very pinnacle of form. He is smartly feeling his way through this tricky moment in order to get there.