With their secure position in the standings, the Celtics have the luxury of being cautious with their star players as the regular season comes to a close. Jaylen Brown, in particular, appears to be a prime candidate for some rest following the Celtics’ win over the Pelicans on Saturday.
Despite his impressive performance in the game, contributing 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, Brown was visibly struggling with various injuries throughout. He grimaced as he favored his knee after a fall, and later was seen tending to his left hand following a turnover. In addition to these issues, Brown admitted to ongoing back pain that has been bothering him for some time.
While Brown tried to downplay the severity of these injuries, he did mention plans to address his hand issue once the team returns to Boston. The Celtics’ recent victory marked the return of their top six players being healthy together for the first time in weeks, and it may be in their best interest to prioritize player recovery ahead of the playoffs.
Boston’s substantial lead in the standings, now standing at 6.5 games ahead of their closest competitors, gives them the flexibility to rest key players like Brown in preparation for the postseason. With just a handful of games left before the playoffs begin, it seems likely that Brown will join the ranks of players like Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis in receiving a lesser workload to ensure they are at their best when it matters most.
