MEMPHIS — The Celtics will be without two players including All-Star Jaylen Brown for Monday’s game in Memphis. The team downgraded Brown and backup center Luke Kornet from questionable to out about an hour before tip at FedEx Forum. Brown continues to deal with knee soreness that forced him to miss three games last week. Kornet is out due to illness.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla spoke about Brown’s condition before the matchup and balancing his health amid the home stretch of the regular season ahead of a playoff run.
“He takes care of that,” Mazzulla said. “To me, it’s more about supporting him whenever he wants, putting him in the position. I think he always finds an opportunity in a situation. In both things, we need him to be at his absolute best. At the same time, God willing, a long playoff run. You’re not always going to feel at your best, so can you be at your best even when you don’t feel like it? He does a great job taking care of himself and putting himself in position. He also does a good job working through things and finding ways to be impactful. We just have to continue to have that balance.”
Brown is also attempting to stay eligible for All-NBA awards but can only miss one more game this season to miss the 65-game threshold.
“I think it’s the balance, right?” Mazzulla said about the awards question. “I think it’s what gives you the best chance. Where are you at right now? Every day is different. What gives us the best chance to win as a team? What gives you the best chance as an individual to perform and do the things that we need you to do and that you’re great at to help us win? As long as we can maintain that balance, I think that stuff is super important. At the end of the day, he’s a competitive guy. Every day, he does what it takes to put himself in position to help us win. Whether that’s on the court or in practice and whatnot, you have to reward that. He knows that balance, so you just work together at it.”
Brown will get a couple days of added rest before his next chance to suit up at home against the Miami Heat on Monday night at TD Garden.
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