Jaylen Brown Says He'll Be Back For Game 2
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jaylen Brown is channeling his inner terminator when it comes to Thursday night's Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
"I'll be back," the Celtics guard told NBC Sports Boston on Monday night. "I'm playing."
Brown had to sit out Monday night's Game 1 romp with a hamstring injury he suffered during Saturday's Game 7 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, playing just 16 minutes before gingerly walking off the floor. He sat out the second half and rode a stationary bike on the sidelines as his teammates finished off the Bucks.
The second-year guard tried to talk his way into the lineup on Monday night to no avail.
"But there was some concern that I could re-aggravate it and it becomes a season-ending injury," Brown said. "I'm basically trying to come back in two days from a two-week type injury."
Brown may be a little too optimistic at the moment, but he does have a few days to heal some more before the Eastern Conference Semifinals resume on Thursday. While Brown has become an integral part of Boston's success, on both the offensive and defensive end of the floor, the Celtics didn't need him during Game 1. They cruised to a 117-101 win over the 76ers on big nights from Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford.
But Philadelphia was off their game on Monday, and chances are the Celtics will need Brown's services if they hope to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season. Brown averaged 17.9 points off 47 percent shooting and 4.7 rebounds in Boston's first-round series against Milwaukee, after averaging 14.5 points during the regular season.