Brad Stevens provides update on Jaylen Brown’s injury status

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Brad Stevens provides update on Jaylen Brown’s injury status

BOSTON Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has admitted that Jaylen Brown is doubtful for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The small-forward injured his hamstring during Boston’s Game 7 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, and will likely come up short in a race against time to prove his fitness.

“The last email I saw [from trainers is] that [Brown] still has some soreness,” Stevens told reporters.

“[He] didn’t try to do anything, that I know of, running-wise today.”

“He did have some testing, and that looked good, thankfully. Doubtful for tomorrow. But I guess he could play ... [and] it looks like it could be something that allows him to play as the series goes on.”

On who could step in for Brown, the Coach of the Year candidate kept his cards close to his chest.

“We could go either Marcus [Morris or Smart] starting, we could keep Semi [Ojeleye] in there, or Shane [Larkin],” Stevens said.

“We’ve got to fill out one more spot, so we’ll do that. We’ll decide that.”

Already without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, Boston have leaned on Brown to provide scoring in the postseason; the 21-year-old averaging 20.5 points in the first six games of their first-round series (had 2 points before injuring himself in Game 7).

“We’ll miss Jaylen. He’s definitely hard to make up for,” Australian big man Aron Baynes admitted.

“But it’s just going to be about trying to collectively do it.”.