Brown remains out for Warriors-Celtics game with hip injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors face a tough opponent in the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, but the defending champions will be without one of their best players for the 2022 NBA Finals rematch at TD Garden.
Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown will miss his third consecutive game when the Warriors come to town as he deals with injury, as Boston officially ruled him out Tuesday with a left hip flexor strain. Brown is averaging 25.7 points on 40-percent shooting with 7.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in six games before missing his first contest Nov. 2.
While the injury, which has been bothering Brown since training camp, will force the reigning Finals MVP to miss yet another game, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” on Tuesday that he’s “not concerned” about it.
“He’s doing well,” Mazzulla said of Brown. “It’s a strain, and he’s working really hard in treatment every day and just kind of working to get back at it. So, not concerned, and I don’t think he is either.”
While the injury doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue in Mazzulla’s eyes, Brown won’t be on the floor to face the Warriors. Both teams enter the marquee matchup with just one loss on the 2024-25 NBA season, and facing Jayson Tatum and Co. certainly will serve as a measuring stick for Golden State even without Brown in Boston’s starting lineup.
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton (back) is Golden State’s only player on the injury report and has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game. The team got Steph Curry back for Monday night’s 125-112 win over the Washington Wizards at Capitol One Arena, and the Warriors superstar finished with a team-high 24 points on 7-of-15 shooting with six assists and three rebounds.
Curry described Golden State as “vibing” on “Warriors Postgame Live” following the win, and the team certainly will look to keep that energy rolling into their matchup with the Brown-less Celtics on Wednesday.
