The Boston Celtics have been one of the most compelling stories in the NBA this season, sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference standings all year long even without Jayson Tatum. Now comes some major positive news for the defending champions: Jaylen Brown is officially back and ready to roll.
According to the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown has been removed from the injury report and will be available for tonight’s showdown against the Denver Nuggets. NBA reporter Keith Smith broke the news on X, writing: “Jaylen Brown is off the injury report and available for tonight’s game at the Denver Nuggets, per the Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum is the only player on the injury report and he remains out.”
Embed X: https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/2026744325040726040
Brown had been dealing with a bruised right knee that forced him to miss Tuesday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns. He was initially listed as questionable before being ruled out, a precautionary move on the first night of a back-to-back. The injury didn’t appear to be serious — Brown had played without obvious issues in Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers — and the Celtics were simply protecting him to avoid any setback. In total, Brown has missed just six games this season.
The timing couldn’t be better for Boston. Brown is putting together an All-NBA and legitimate MVP-caliber campaign in Tatum’s absence, leading the Celtics to a strong 38-19 record through roughly two-thirds of the regular season. In 51 games, the 28-year-old is posting career-high averages of 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field, 34.4% from three, and 77.6% from the free-throw line.
Embed X: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/2026744400383242531
Even without several key contributors from last year’s championship roster, the Celtics currently rank 2nd in offensive rating, 2nd in net rating, and 7th in defensive rating. Brown has stepped up as the clear No. 1 option on both ends of the floor, frequently stating his case as the league’s best two-way player. His play has silenced many of the pre-season questions about whether he could carry the team, and he is now a strong candidate for First Team All-NBA honors. In the latest ESPN MVP straw poll, Brown checked in at No. 6.
With Brown healthy and locked in, and Tatum’s eventual return on the horizon, Boston sits comfortably in second place in the East and is poised to make serious noise once the playoffs begin. Tonight’s game against the Nuggets just got a whole lot more exciting for Celtics fans.