BOSTON -- The Celtics have managed in the absence of Jaylen Brown, to say the least.
Boston went 5-3 over the last eight games and finally moved over .500 on the season while the star guard was sidelined with a hamstring strain. So now that he's ready to return to the court on Monday against the Houston Rockets, is there cause for concern?
Head coach Ime Udoka said before Monday's game there will be natural growing pains as Brown returns to the lineup, but he doesn't anticipate any major issues as the 25-year-old returns to the floor.
"Just the chemistry, giving him his time," he said. "We haven't had a ton of continuity all year so that doesn't change much because guys have been in and out. But he's a guy that also knows his role ... he's gonna come out and be aggressive. It's pretty easy for him to find his spots, but more so other guys getting used to him being back, him getting used to what we've been doing in the time he's been gone."
Brown has been working out with the starting group in shootaround, Udoka added. He will be on a minutes restriction Monday, limited to 24 minutes in short four- to six-minute bursts.
With Brown's return, Dennis Schröder will return to the bench. Schröder got the start in all eight games Brown missed, with 23.1 points and 4.3 assists through 35.7 minutes per game.
