Jrue Holiday: “Nobody’s worried” about Jaylen Brown’s knee injury as playoffs approach
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown has been battling a nagging knee injury, but teammate Jrue Holiday isn’t concerned.
“He looked good to me, nobody is worried about him,” Holiday said after Tuesday’s shootaround.
The reigning Finals MVP has been dealing with knee pain since February, playing through discomfort while occasionally sitting out for rest. Coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed Brown recently received pain management injections as “part of the rehab process.”
The good news? Mazzulla says Brown will be ready for Sunday’s Game 1 of the first round and wasn’t limited in Tuesday’s practice.
Brown ultimately appeared in 63 games this season, falling just short of the 65-game threshold needed for end-of-season award eligibility. He chose health over potential All-NBA honors—a decision that seems to be paying off as the playoffs approach.
“Whatever he needs. If he needs a break, which knowing J.B., he probably won’t, and he probably won’t even accept it even if he needs it, but whatever it is, we’ll be there for him,” Holiday told reporters.
The knee issues have clearly affected Brown’s performance. His scoring dipped to 22.2 points per game (down from 23.0 last season), while his shooting percentages fell from 50% to 46% from the field and 35% to 32% from three-point range.
Brown cemented his place among basketball’s elite last year when he won Finals MVP after the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games for their first championship since 2008.
His two-way brilliance was on full display throughout that series, helping contain Luka Doncic while forming a deadly offensive tandem with Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics are heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference again this year, though they slightly trail the Oklahoma City Thunder in championship odds according to sportsbooks.
Without a healthy Brown performing at his best, Boston’s chances of becoming the first back-to-back champions since the Golden State Warriors (2017-2018) would take a serious hit.
All eyes will be on his knee when the Celtics begin their title defense this weekend.
