Jaylen Brown Provides Update On Injured Hand Following Celtics Win
The Boston Celtics won their 11th straight home game and improved to 60-16 on the season after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 135-100 at TD Garden on Wednesday night.
Jaylen Brown returned to the lineup after missing Boston’s game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday due to a left-hand injury. After the Celtics’ blowout win over the Thunder, Brown provided an update on the injury.
“I think I got a sprain or a strain on a ligament in my hand,” Brown told reporters, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “But I think it’s fine. Something I’m not really concerned with going forward. It bothered me a little bit tonight. Part of it is playing through it because it gives you more information. But I think it’s nothing to be concerned about.”
After clinching home-court advantage throughout the postseason, the Celtics could allow Brown to rest down the stretch to take pressure off his hand if needed.
Brown, who scored 23 points and collected seven rebounds in Boston’s win, acknowledged the Celtics clinching the NBA’s top seed.
“It’s an honor, it’s a blessing to be on a 60-win team,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work that went into that … especially after coming up short last season. Responding and coming back and not skipping any steps, I think we’re on track. Sixty wins when the playoffs start, it’s back to square one.”
The Celtics star is not only providing offense for Boston, but Brown has also stepped up as one of the premier defenders on the team and in the league.
“It inspires the rest of us,” Celtics center Al Horford told Abby Chin, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “(Jaylen) does a lot on the offensive end and then he wants the responsibility on the defensive end.”
Horford added: “Being very unbiased, very clear, (Jaylen) is first-team all-defense. … He deserves to be in that position.”
Brown and the Celtics go for their 12th consecutive home win when they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. Tip off from TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.