LOS ANGELES — At this point of the season, NBA players are battling lingering injuries. That’s the nature of an 82-game season as small bruises pile up. Celtics star Jaylen Brown revealed those struggles as he’s dealt with an ankle injury in recent games.
Brown hasn’t been listed on recent injury reports, so he’s played through the issue without the threat of missing a game. After the Celtics were blown out by the Lakers on Thursday, Brown broke down what happened to his ankle and when he hurt it.
“I rolled it in the Atlanta game (Jan. 18),” Brown said. “I can’t remember what quarter. And then I’ve been just a little bit banged up, but pushing through. … I’m still trying to get my burst and my explosion back. I didn’t finish a lot of baskets around the rim, just because it’s messing with me a little bit. But it will get there.”
Brown finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the 117-96 loss to the rival Lakers. While he started strong, he finished 7-for-19 from the field, including 2-of-9 in the second half, as the Celtics’ shot-making was absent Thursday. They weren’t connected offensively, putting up their second-lowest point total of the season.
The Celtics dropped to 7-5 in January, which follows up an 8-6 December. The consistency hasn’t been there as the C’s failed to generate momentum over multiple games. That was again the case Thursday. While they won’t use it as an excuse, the Celtics also played their fifth game in the last seven nights, which included a long flight to the other side of the country.
All the C’s can do is start producing as part of a troubling part of their schedule. It’s too early to push any panic buttons as they’re still 31-14 on the season, the second-best record in the East. But there’s also no denying how the Celtics haven’t played their best basketball. So they’ll need to push through even if they’re not at 100% health.
“It is a balance being out there and also taking care of your body,” Brown said. “Just exerting energy on both sides of the floor at a high level has wear and tear. So you want to be mindful of that. You don’t want to risk injuries and things like that so you listen to your medical staff. But I try to be available for my team, etc. Just a little bit banged up right now.”
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