How Celtics Are Measuring Progress For Jaylen Brown’s Return

What is going on with Jaylen Brown?

The Boston Celtics wing is about to miss his 13th game of the season as his team takes on the Los Angeles Clippers without him. Initially, he missed time with COVID-19 at the beginning of the season, but since has been nursing a hamstring injury.

But despite Brown asking to get back into the swing of things, the Celtics are taking every precaution to make sure they don’t get him going prematurely. He missed eight straight games with the injury, and appearances have been sporadic since his return against the Houston Rockets.

Will Boston be playing this load management game with Brown the rest of the season? Head coach Ime Udoka says that’s not part of the plan.

“(He) was great coming into camp, obviously got COVID early, and then this happened in a nice stretch when he’s playing really well,” Udoka said over Zoom before facing the Clippers. “So I think it was anything that was lingering come into camp, he’s that history of them, as we mentioned three over the last four years. But once he’s back he should be 100%.”

But what constitutes as 100% for Udoka and his staff?

After missing a stretch from Nov. 4-22, he returned on to face the Rockets and the games that ensued against the Brooklyn Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers.

He’ll now miss his fourth straight game since that win over Philly.

“It’s almost the level of soreness and stiffness after increased workout,” Udoka said. “So the games that he did come back and play and got better as he went through games, there’s always going to be a little bit of soreness and stiffness when you up the intensity to a game-like atmosphere, but you know, just really the recovery is the biggest part. You could go out there playing 90% and then you take a few steps back as far as appropriate. So once he’s 100% the bounce back is quicker.”

That’s still pretty vague, but at least Boston has stayed afloat without him maintaining a 7-5 record in those games.

The Celtics and Clippers tip off at 10:30 p.m. ET.