Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown wasn’t at full strength during Wednesday’s unexpected loss to the Miami Heat.
Brown revealed that he was “in some pain” as he played through a right knee posterior impingement, scoring a team-high 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds in 29 minutes of play. However, he acknowledged after the game that the pain might not go away anytime soon.
“I’ve had to accept that I’m not going to feel like myself every night,” Brown told reporters, according to MassLive’s Souichi Terada. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t still make plays. It’s just something we’re working through. Today was a good step forward. I’ve got some plans with the medical staff to feel better by the playoffs. Right now, it’s a mental challenge, but I’m still finding ways to be effective.”
Brown is essential to Boston’s pursuit of a second consecutive NBA championship. He played a pivotal role in last year’s title run, earning Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP honors.
However, ensuring Brown is as healthy as possible for what will likely be a much tougher postseason than last year is a top priority for the Celtics. Brown mentioned last week that he’s under a minutes restriction and suggested after the Heat loss that he won’t focus on playing at least 65 games, the threshold for eligibility for regular-season awards. With just six games remaining in the regular season, Brown has played 60 games so far. His main focus is getting his knee right to perform at his best when it matters most.
“I’ve seen specialists, but we have a great medical team and good people around,” Brown said. “My goal for the playoffs is to feel my best. We’re managing it and pushing through it, but we have a solid plan in place. So come playoff time, I aim to be at my best.”
