Celtics Guard/Forward Jaylen Brown will miss the remainder of the 2021 NBA season. Brown was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his left wrist. The report first came from Shams Charania on Monday evening. The Fifth-year forward is expected to have the torn ligament repaired later this week.
Jaylen Brown This Season
This season proved to be the best yet for Jaylen Brown. With career-highs in points, blocks, steals, assists, free throw, and three-point percentages, he has further cemented his role in the Celtics rotation. The former third overall pick’s performance this season earned him his first career all-star selection. His selection, along with Jayson Tatum, marks the third time in the last four seasons that the Celtics housed two all-stars.
It will be the first time in Brown’s career that he won’t be in the playoffs. The Celtics have yet to miss a postseason since drafting Brown in 2016. Barring the shutdown of play last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, never before did Jaylen Brown play under 70 games in a season.
Where Does This Leave The Celtics?
A top 25 scorer in the NBA this year, Brown’s absence leaves a lot in question for the Boston Celtics. As he has never before sustained a significant injury since going pro, Boston will have to readjust quickly. With less than two weeks left in the regular season, the Celtics have to look for immediate replacements on both ends of the floor.
Despite Brown’s breakout campaign, it has been a trying season for the Celtics. Entering Monday night, Boston holds a 35-33 record, good enough for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. This is a considerable step backward from their play last season, in which they finished with the 3rd seed.
Should things stand as is, the Celtics will have to participate in the play-in tournament. Without one of their top scorers in Brown, the road through the playoffs only grows more challenging for Boston.
