Boston Celtics: 4 injuries of concern heading into playoffs

Jaylen Brown

After a scary fall in Minnesota, Jaylen Brown should be lucky he isn’t out for the year. He walked away with “only” a concussion and nothing was broken. It could have been a lot worse.

Brown has missed the last three games and could be evaluated next week. Like Irving, there is no reason to rush Brown back into playing. Even in the first round of the playoffs, if he is still a little shaky, he could still be sitting out. Concussions are a scary experience and every precaution should be taken before Brown suits up again.

If, in fact, he does miss time in the playoffs, his play would be missed. Jaylen is the best slasher on the team and plays the best wing defense of anybody in the starting lineup. He will usually guard the other team’s best shooting guard or small forward. If he is unable to play, that means Jayson Tatum or Marcus Morris will have to guard the potential opponents of Victor Oladipo and/or LeBron James.

Matchups and skill set aside, Jaylen Brown deserves to play in the postseason this year. After Gordon Hayward went out, Brown has been the most consistent forward on the roster. Instead of just one year, he looks five years older compared to his rookie season. The guy you saw standing in the corner against Chicago and Washington in last year’s playoffs is no more.