Getty Jaylen Brown blocks DeMar DeRozan's shot.
Jaylen Brown will miss Saturday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks due to hamstring tightness and will get a full five days rest before the Boston Celtics return to action.
Brown has a history with hamstring issues, leading the Celtics to be cautious with the latest flare-up, especially with the problems occurring so early into the season. However, following Saturday’s game against the Mavericks, the Celtics aren’t back in action until Wednesday, November 10th.
#NEBHInjuryReport for tomorrow vs. Dallas:
Jaylen Brown (right hamstring tightness) – OUT
Josh Richardson (left foot contusion) – QUESTIONABLE
The Celtics will possibly be without another of their wings. Josh Richardson remains questionable heading into Saturday after missing the teams’ victory over the Miami Heat earlier in the week.
With no Brown and possibly no Richardson, the Celtics will rely on their young wings Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith against the Dallas Mavericks, as Boston looks to take their season back to .500 after a rough start to the year.
“He’s a guy who we know can light it up, bring us a spark off the bench, and then being solid on defense is just an added bonus there,” Udoka said when asked about Nesmith’s performance off the bench against Miami.
Brown Dealing With Multiple Injuries to Start the Season
Brown’s season was cut short last year due to a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist, which required surgery to resolve. Once he returned from his injury, Brown began training with the team as they ramped up their preparations for the 2021-22 NBA season.
After only one preseason game, Brown was again unable to train with the team, this time due to contracting COVID and having to self-isolate as a result. “I’ve been talking to our medical staff about that. I feel great, and then it feels like instead of playing one game, it kind of feels like I played three. I’m used to my body responding and recovering a lot faster, and I know I just turned 25, but this can’t be what it looks like on the other side.” Brown said when discussing the longer-term effects the virus has had on his body.
Jaylen Brown on recovering from COVID:
“Instead of feeling like I played one game, it feels like I played three.”
Brown returned on opening night to drop 46 points in an overtime loss to the New York Knicks despite his preseason layoff. Since the season got underway, Brown has also missed time due to left patella tendinopathy, which the team has been aware of for some time.
Brown’s Hot Start to The Season
Brown’s injury struggles haven’t interfered with his development on the court; instead, he’s currently playing at the highest level of his young career on offense. According to NBA Stats, Brown leads the Celtics in points per game with 25.6 on a 60.3 true shooting percentage.
Brown’s ability to get downhill has ensured the Celtics continue to pressure the rim, despite Jayson Tatum’s slow start to the season. The All-Star wing is also shooting 39.7% from three on 7.3 attempts per game, as his improvements when shooting off the dribble have been incredibly prominent over the last twelve months.
While Tatum is often considered the superstar on the roster, and Brown is usually considered the “Robin to Tatum’s Batman,” the narrative has been flipped in recent weeks as Tatum continues to start seasons slowly. Hence why the Celtics have opted to treat Brown’s latest injury with caution, as his offensive production has been at an All-Star level since the opening tip of the season.
On Wednesday, Brown will return to playing action against the Toronto Raptors when the Celtics will be looking to avenge their worst loss of this young season.