Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown hasn’t exactly looked like an All-NBA player throughout the Eastern Conference finals.
Has he been bad? No, the Celtics have gotten much worse performances throughout the series against the Miami Heat. He just hasn’t been the same player Boston watched ascend to superstar status throughout the 2022-23 regular season.
There very well might be a reason for that, for which people have evidence to back up. The 26-year-old isn’t interested in excuses, however.
“I mean, at this point in the year everyone has injuries,” Brown told Abby Chinn of NBC Sports Boston at Saturday’s shootaround prior to Game 6. “I’ve got injuries all over, compiled, but I’ll never let that be an excuse. You’ll never hear no reports about me coming out and saying anything was bothering me. You come out, you play basketball, you leave everything out there.”
The reason Brown was asked about a possible injury is because, well, he’s dealing with something. The two-time All-Star has routinely favored his left wrist throughout the Celtics-Heat matchups this postseason, and has iced it after just about every shoot around and game. It’s the same wrist that he tore a ligament in to end his 2020-21 season, but there is optimism due to the fact that Brown hasn’t showed up on the injury report during the series.
It is believed that the injury was suffered during the second round against the Philadelphia 76ers. That isn’t the only issue he’s dealt with, however, as a facial fracture and tweaked knee have both been at the forefront of discussions relating to his play against the Heat.
A 26-point per game scorer in the regular season, Brown has averaged just over 17 points against the Heat. He believes the Celtics have started an atonement for their slow start in the series, but his play will have to improve if they hope to finish the job.
