Should Celtics fans be concerned about Jaylen Brown’s hip injury?
The defending champion Boston Celtics sit at 7-2 through the teams first 9 games and have looked for the most part like the title favorites they were expected to be. However the one question mark through the first few weeks of the season is a lingering hip injury for Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown. On Friday, Brown will miss his 4th straight game of the early season. Brown is one of the best players in the league and is coming off an incredible season last year that was capped off with the Celtics winning the title and Brown being named NBA Finals MVP.
Brown has cemented himself as one of the best two way players in the league after his incredible playoff performance last season. For Boston, Jaylen is half of their homegrown superstar duo that’s arguably the best in the league alongside Jayson Tatum. For years Celtics fans were subject to speculation about if the two could coexist and win a title together. After last season those conversations have certainly quieted with Boston reaching the NBA mountain top.
When it comes to this season though Boston headed into the regular season as heavy title favorites and they had a rare bonus that most defending champions don’t usually have to open the season. That bonus being motivation, whether real or perceived the Celtics felt slighted over the summer even as defending champs. With Jaylen Brown being snubbed altogether and Jayson Tatum being benched by Team USA in what become somewhat of an NBA media circus during the Paris Olympics.
Why am I bringing that up with Jaylen Brown’s hip injury? Well I was in the camp earlier this week that Jaylen’s hip injury was nothing to be worried about and he just needed some early season maintenance. However on Wednesday night in Boston, Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors came to visit in a game billed as the “Jayson Tatum” revenge game. While it was billed as the Tatum revenge game, Brown had just as much motivation to make a statement against Kerr and the Warriors and is never one to shy away from a big spotlight. As a Celtics fan the hope is that they are just being extra cautious with Jaylen because of how much basketball he has played over the last few years and not wanting to rush him back.
On the other side you see your superstar missing 4 games in a row and concerns have to start to rise. Joe Mazzulla tried to calm some of those concerns in his pregame media press conference earlier today stating. “He’s doing good. Just day to day, it’s working out and getting better. Just getting a little bit better each day. So he’s getting there.” Coach speak is always tough to interpret especially when it comes to injuries but with a player of Brown’s caliber I don’t think Mazzulla would be offering such optimism if it was a larger concern.
I’m still in the camp that it’s a minor lingering issue for Jaylen and shouldn’t keep him sidelined for much longer. Big picture for Boston though is this is one of the very few ways their title contention could be derailed. With the talent on the Celtics roster most expect them to cake walk to the Eastern Conference Finals. With some even thinking they can cake walk into the Finals.
Talent can’t overcome injuries though if a superstar like Brown is labored this early in the season it’s only human nature to wonder how much it can heal or get better during the season. Brown has only played 70+ games once in his last 5 seasons so this isn’t out of the norm but any injury to a star on a title contending team is something worth watching. As of right now Celtics fans can rest easy but if we get to the holidays and Jaylen Brown’s hip injury is still lingering on a nightly basis Celtics fans have reason for concern.
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