Jaylen Brown admitted he didn’t feel like himself as the Celtics battled against the Nets. Fortunately, some of his rookie teammates stepped up on the night to help lead the Celtics to victory over the Nets in double overtime Friday in Brooklyn.
Brown revealed he’s been battling hamstring tightness, limiting him on the court. But he still put up a triple-double Friday, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists against the Nets.
“I didn’t have my burst today,” Brown said, via CLNS Media. “They were switching the five onto me with (Nic) Claxton, and he’s, in my opinion, I should be able to blow by him and do what I do. But I just didn’t have that acceleration tonight. Sometimes that can mess with your head a little bit. But find other ways to be effective.”
Brown wasn’t efficient on the night, shooting 9-for-27 from the field. He was just 5-for-17 inside the arc as some of those looks didn’t go down. It was also clear he couldn’t get to his spots with as much ease as past nights. Brown also got in a heavy workload Friday, playing 46 minutes.
Brown confirmed it was a similar hamstring issue as earlier this season. He was listed on the injury report with the hamstring tightness ahead of the Pacers win Wednesday, though he still played. The Celtics face the Bulls on Saturday in Chicago as part of a back-to-back, so it’s unclear if he’ll suit up for the game.
The Celtics still have about 2.5 weeks ahead of the All-Star break. They also have the benefit of a relatively easy upcoming schedule, where there aren’t any contenders in the near future. Of course, that doesn’t matter some nights like the Nets showed Friday, looking to bounce back after their tough loss to the Knicks last time out.
Regardless, keeping Brown healthy and fresh through the second half of the season will be crucial for the Celtics. So they likely won’t push the All-Star starter if he’s feeling any lingering effects from the hamstring tightness. Plus, Brown has only missed three games all season to help lead the C’s to No. 2 in the East.
“Just some soreness or something like that,” Brown said. “This time of year, everybody’s got something. It’s just the mental fortitude of it. Injuries have a way of messing with your head a little bit. I want to be available for my team, but I also want to take care of my body. It’s been a long, physical season. So just try to get as much sleep, as much recovery. Communicate with our staff as best as possible so I can be available for our team.”