Head coach Ime Udoka said Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown is “unlikely” to play tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies, as he suffered a right ankle sprain in Tuesday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks. Celtics Director of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens does not buy the “injury prone” label on Brown.
“The ‘injury prone’ thing, obviously when you’re a guy that’s going to play as hard and is as hard-driving, and is as physical, yeah those people are going to be a little bit more susceptible, but that doesn’t make them injury prone,” Stevens said on 98.5 The Sports Hub, according to Boston.com. “They certainly shouldn’t stop doing what they’re doing. That was just an unfortunate, unlucky play.”
Brown has been labeled as “injury prone” by many, largely stemming from last season’s injury-plagued season and this season’s number of games missed.
“Well each injury you have to look at differently,” Stevens said. “I think that if it’s something that’s happened over, and over, and over — whether it’s muscular or whatever the case may be — then those are things that people have to address when they get into the weight room and do preventative work.
“He’s done a good job of that,” Stevens added of Brown. “The ankle, we saw the play, you turn your ankle sometimes. He’s done that before. The first thing he said to me was, ‘This isn’t as bad as others I’ve had.’ Anybody that’s played has done that.”
Stevens also provided an update on Brown, who could return Sunday when Boston takes on Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
“I think he’s doing better than I would’ve originally thought when I saw him go down,” Stevens explained. “I think that he’s going to be constantly re-evaluated over the next couple days. But he felt better after the game than I thought he would as predicted. A little sore the next day, but (the injury) doesn’t look like a long-term thing, which is good.”