So far, things have gone well for the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs, as they have taken a 2-0 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks rather easily.
They claimed Game 2 by a final of 119-106 on Tuesday and may be on their way to a sweep, but there is reason to be concerned because of the hurt right hand of Jaylen Brown.
He scored 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, plus three blocked shots and two steals in Game 2, but he appeared to be in pain, and analyst Keith Smith criticized the Celtics for leaving him in the game late despite having a safe lead.
And now Brown is grabbing his right hand again.
It’s nitpicky, but there is no reason at all for any Celtics regulars to have been in this game for the last 2-3 minutes. It’s just asking for something stupid to happen.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 19, 2023
Brown suffered a deep cut on his hand recently after an incident at his home, and he needed stitches to close the wound that resulted.
He reportedly split open the laceration on his hand during Game 1.
The Celtics should be able to get past Trae Young and crew with little or no difficulty, but they will need Brown to play at the top of his powers in the next round, where they would likely face the Philadelphia 76ers.
Brown, who is in his seventh season after being the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, had a stellar regular season, averaging 26.6 points and 6.9 rebounds a game while shooting 49.1 percent, all of which were career highs.
Despite the laceration on his hand, he played well in Game 1, scoring 29 points on 12-of-23 shooting, although he did have six turnovers, as well as four more in Game 2.
Starting guard Derrick White helped pick up the slack on Tuesday with 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting.
NEXT:
The Celtics Had A New Hero Step Up In Game 2
