What’s happening with Jaylen Brown?
When the Celtics initially introduced Brown’s knee damage — a bone bruise with posterior impingement — they mentioned he’d be out not less than two video games in the beginning of the street journey. And even earlier than the crew headed west, he had already missed a pair of video games earlier than the All-Star break and sat out a few back-to-backs. For those who belief Dr. Google, relaxation and restoration is the fundamental course of therapy for a bone bruise. Then why play in any respect? Why not sit out till he’s 100%?
After lacking three straight video games, he by no means eclipsed half-hour within the following three in Sacramento, Phoenix, and San Antonio. After scoring 24 factors in a blowout win over the Suns, Brown wasn’t essentially optimistic about his well being, however appeared assured that he and the crew would determine it out earlier than the playoffs.
“It’s new for me,” he mentioned. “I haven’t actually had points with my knees ever in my profession, so simply looking for a very good routine to verify I’m ready and able to go each evening. But it surely’s positively been a problem mentally and stuff like that.”
There’s little question that the Celtics will prioritize successful within the playoffs over all the pieces else. Nonetheless, there’s this bugaboo over Brown’s eligibility for put up common season awards. Gamers must play in 65 video games to have an opportunity to be elected on to an All-NBA Workforce or increase the MVP. For JB, he can solely miss yet another of the ultimate seven contests.
“To me, it’s extra about supporting him with no matter he needs, placing him able. He all the time finds a chance in a state of affairs in each issues,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned forward of the tip in Memphis.
“We’d like him to be at his very best, however on the similar time, god keen, a protracted playoff run. You’re not all the time going to really feel at your greatest, however are you able to be at your greatest even if you don’t really feel prefer it? He does an important job caring for himself, placing himself in place. He additionally does a very good job working by issues and discovering methods to be impactful. We simply must proceed to have that steadiness.”
It’s that phrase “steadiness” that’s regarding. Regardless of what Brown and the crew has mentioned about prioritizing successful, these common season Ws gained’t imply something if the Finals MVP is hobbled in Might and June.
Right here’s CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell on the damage.
“It’s the steadiness, proper? What provides you the perfect probability, the place you’re at proper now — each day is completely different— what provides you the perfect probability as a crew, what provides you the perfect probability as a person to carry out and do the issues that we’d like you to do this you’re nice at to assist us win,” Mazzulla continued. “So long as we are able to preserve that steadiness, I believe that stuff is tremendous vital. On the finish of the day, he’s a aggressive man. Daily, he does what it takes to himself in place to assist us win, whether or not that’s on the courtroom or observe or what not. It’s a must to reward that and he is aware of that steadiness, so that you simply work collectively on it.”
Brown has burdened the significance of enjoying and staying in rhythm regardless of not being utterly wholesome. Nobody is aware of his physique higher than JB and this medical workers has achieved such a very good job managing the minutes of the whole roster all yr. After successful 14 of 15 video games together with sweeping this six-game street journey, the Celtics are peaking on the proper time. Let’s hope that Brown is on the upward trajectory, too.
