Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Boston Celtics in the team’s emphatic Game 1 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Brown led all scorers despite playing through a few complications related to his lacerated shooting hand
Brown suffered a cut on his right finger while watering his plants a few weeks ago just prior to the start of the postseason. He received several stitches and played Saturday’s game with a bandage. At one point, Brown left the action, but soon returned to the court in dominant fashion. After the game, he gave an update on the hand.
“It’s fine,” Brown said. “It split open during the game, but it’s fine now.”
Brown told reporters he believed the hand would be okay, and that it would be evaluated the next day. The wrap he wore to the postgame press conference was more elaborate than the smaller bandage he wore during the game.
‘It starts with him,’ says Joe Mazzulla of Marcus Smart’s defensive masterpiece vs. Atlanta https://t.co/4zE3Gy8Hxo
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 15, 2023
The Celtics dominated the Hawks in Game 1, especially on the defensive end. Brown was a crucial catalyst on both sides of the ball, injured or not, and scored 29 points on 12-for-23 shooting from the field. Brown explained the dressing for his stitches was at most a nuisance for him.
“It’s a constant adjustment,” Brown said. “Just making sure I had a good grip on the ball. I did have six turnovers tonight. So I definitely got to clean it up.”
“At different times throughout the game you adjust it and stuff like that,” Brown added. “There’s a lot of padding on it, so it’s a different feel shooting the ball. It’s just about adjusting and adapting to the game.”
Jaylen Brown is rocking a pair of green and black sneakers with a photo of Bill Russell for game one of the postseason. https://t.co/tzpA44CXHu
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 15, 2023
Brown wasn’t interested in dwelling on any pain he may have felt during the game.
“It’s fine,” Brown said. “Especially with the adrenaline in the game, you kind of just get it going.”
The Celtics face the Hawks for Game 2 on Tuesday. From there, the series resumes in Atlanta the following Friday. a limited showing for Game 2 could give Brown a bit of time to heal, though the All-Star forward may refuse the chance.
“I think it’s going to be alright. We’ll look at it tomorrow.” Brown said.
Joe Mazzulla honored One Boston Day and the anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing ahead of Saturday’s action between the Celtics and Hawks. https://t.co/zIIlGNdPvN
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 15, 2023
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