There was little chance Jaylen Brown was going to sit out a game with the Celtics starting 0-3 for the first time in more than a decade. Brown’s battled a hamstring strain early this season that’s landed him on the injury report a few times.
So, even in the second game of a back-to-back, the C’s star said he wasn’t planning to sit until his team got things back on track. That’s exactly what happened Monday as the Celtics beat the Pelicans to snap their losing streak. Brown put up 15 points and seven rebounds in his 24 minutes, playing through the hamstring ailmnet.
“I had to get on the floor,” Brown told reporters in New Orleans, via CLNS Media. “We had to find a way to get the win, so I was going to play until we figured that part out. From my body standpoint, just managing it. Just trying to stay within myself, not overextend myself too much. I’ve had some hamstring injuries in the past, so it’s given me some good information to still be effective without using too much explosiveness or too much athleticism.”
Brown suffered the hamstring strain in the preseason finale back on Oct. 15, so it’s been a little less than two weeks since then. He explained how the risk of re-injury is at its highest within two weeks of the injury. Brown’s needed to manage the hamstring even though he’s had stellar games, including his 41-point outing in the Pistons loss.
The road doesn’t get any easier for Brown as the Celtics are in the middle of a tough start to the season. They have a five-games-in-seven-days stretch that includes traveling around the country. Even though the C’s picked up their first victory, their next three opponents — the Cavaliers, 76ers and Rockets — mean they have formidable foes coming up.
“Tough turnaround,” Brown said. “Detroit to New Orleans, that’s a tough way to start the season. But it’s alright. Adversity is what makes strong bones. I’m looking forward to the challenges of the year. It’s not going to get easier. It’s only going to get tougher. Just gotta be ready.”
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