Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown has been ruled out of tonight’s powerhouse matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers (17-6) due to a sore left knee. Brown, who has yet to miss a game this season, was listed as questionable Thursday following Boston’s 116-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday evening. The Celtics’ young superstar logged 34 minutes and scored 21 points against the Kings, but appeared to be in some discomfort during the third quarter following a seemingly benign drive to the basket. Brown is averaging 26.4 points a game and is currently 4th amongst Eastern Conference guards in All-Star voting.
#NEBHInjuryReport for tonight vs. LA Clippers (2/5):
Jaylen Brown (left knee soreness) – OUT
Payton Pritchard – AVAILABLE— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 5, 2021
The news of Brown’s scratch makes for a bittersweet injury report heading into the Clippers game. Though Marcus Smart is also out—his third missed game following a Grade 1 calf strain Saturday against the Lakers, an injury that expects to keep him sidelined another two weeks—Boston will see the return of rookie guard Payton Pritchard (MCL strain). Pritchard, who has quickly become a fan favorite due to his relentless intensity and steady ball-handling, is primed to see his first minutes since January 22.
A Constant State of Flux
Through 20 games, Boston’s guards and small forwards have been in an almost constant state of flux. In addition to the recent Smart injury, starting point guard Kemba Walker and backup Pritchard have both missed significant time with knee injuries. Shooting guard Romeo Langford has yet to play a game this year as he recovers from wrist surgery. The injuries have forced Boston to play Jeff Teague early and often at point, and the veteran has not exactly responded with flying colors. Averaging 6.1 shots per game, Teague is shooting a paltry 32.1% from the field.
Most impactful, though, was the nearly 17-day absence of Boston’s other young superstar, Jayson Tatum, following a positive COVID-19 test in mid-January. During Tatum’s quarantine, the Celtics went 2-3, losing twice on the road to the division-leading Sixers and getting blown out at home by 30 to the Knicks.
Making matters worse, Tatum’s COVID-19 diagnosis, combined with the NBA’s contract-tracing protocol, resulted in Boston having to postpone three games due to insufficient roster numbers. And now the missed games are making for an extremely tight February schedule. Starting with the Clippers tonight, Boston will play 14 games in 23 days to finish off the month.
Clippers Present a Tall Order
Brown’s absence bodes poorly for Boston’s chances against a talented Clippers squad sporting an 8-2 record at home and fresh off an East Coast road trip during which they won four of six. Boasting arguably the two best wing defenders in the league, Paul George and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers will surely look to exploit Boston’s lack of depth on the perimeter.
Despite the odds stacked against them, the Celtics do, however, have very recent history on their side. In their previous matchup with the Clippers, in February of 2020 before the season was suspended due to COVID_19, Boston eked out a 141-133 double-overtime victory at home, in large part on the strength of 39 points from Tatum.
READ NEXT: NBA Legend & Marcus Smart Voice Strong Takes on Jaylen Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment