Now, it counts. The Celtics will open the season on Wednesday night in New York, and they will do so shortly after getting a sizable bit of good news: star wing Jaylen Brown will be in the starting lineup.
Brown, who missed the end of last year with wrist surgery, had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 8, leaving him in question for the season opener. He’s been in quarantine for much of the past two weeks, but coach Ime Udoka said on Wednesday that Brown has looked “impressively fine” for a guy who has been in isolation. Brown said he had only mild symptoms after coming down with COVID-19.
“I feel awesome, to be honest,” Brown said. “Excited for our team to start the journey.”
Brown also said, according to a tweet from The Athletic’s Jay King, that he spent much of his time recovering from COVID-19 doing meditation and breathing exercises.
He noted, according to King, “I wanted to make sure that my breathing wasn’t altered because if my breathing is altered, my life is altered.”
Brown was an All-Star last year for the first time, and averaged a career-high 24.7 points. He also averaged 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists, with 48.4% shooting from the field and 39.7% from the 3-point line.
Celtics Starting 5 Revealed by Udoka
Along with Brown, Udoka revealed the rest of his starting five: Marcus Smart at point guard, Brown at shooting guard, Jayson Tatum at small forward and Grant Williams at the four. Robert Williams III will get his first Opening Night start at center, and just the 17th starting assignment of his career.
Grant Williams is the big surprise in the starting five, with Udoka committing to sticking with a two-big lineup, despite Grant Williams’ relatively small stature (6-foot-5). Udoka hinted that big man Al Horford would have been the starter if he had been healthy—but he, too is out with COVID-19. The team announced Horford’s diagnosis three days after Brown’s, so there is a chance he could be ready to go by the weekend.
Udoka made it clear that, after a season in which the Celtics used 37 different starting lineups—and none for more than 10 games—he wants the team to have some consistency with the rotation. Grant Williams as a starter, then, makes more sense, because Horford can basically slide into his slot when he is recovered.
Kemba Walker Will Be a Focal Point for New-Look Knicks
The Celtics will open the season against New York, a team that went 41-31 last year and won the fourth seed in the East, well ahead of Boston’s disappointing 36-36 finish. The Knicks plundered the Celtics this offseason, though, acquiring point guard Kemba Walker after he was traded to Oklahoma City, and signing shooting guard Evan Fournier, who played only 16 games for Boston after he was acquired from Orlando at the trade deadline.
All eyes figure to be on Walker, who made a splashy signing with the Celtics in 2019 after the departure of Kyrie Irving, only to have his tenure (much like Irving’s) diminished by injury. Walker was an All-Star in 2019-20, but played only 56 games for Boston. He did help lead the team to the Eastern Conference finals in the NBA’s restart bubble that summer.
But Walker again struggled to stay healthy last year and, with little chance to win a championship. The Celtics made the financial decision to dump him this offseason.
Brown was positive in discussing Walker on Wednesday, though.
“It was such joy having him around,” he said. “He was a motivator and he was always trying to put a smile on my face. I miss him, but crazy things happen in this league.”
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