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Celtics Star Set to Return vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Boston Celtics will get a boost against the struggling 76ers.
Justin Grasso|
Dec 25, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Dec 25, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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Before heading into the 2025 NBA All-Star break, the Boston Celtics missed their All-Star forward Jaylen Brown for a couple of games.

When the Celtics paid a visit to the New York Knicks to fire up a two-game road trip, Brown checked in for 32 minutes. He struggled with his shot, shooting just 35 percent from the field and scoring 12 points.

Two nights later, the Celtics traveled to face the Miami Heat. Brown was ruled out for the first time since early January due to a knee-related injury.

Jaylen Brow
Feb 2, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) passes the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Without Brown, the Celtics took care of business by scooping up an 18-point win, to form a two-game win streak. Before the break, the Celtics returned home to host the San Antonio Spurs. Brown was absent for the second game in a row.

Once again, Boston survived without Brown. The Celtics collected a 13-point win over the Spurs in his absence to form a three-game win streak before the break. On Thursday night, the Sixers are set to host the Celtics, and they are set to see the return of Brown.

The Celtics left Brown off of the injury report on Thursday night, deeming him available to play against the Sixers in South Philly.

In 46 games this season, Brown has posted averages of 23 points, five assists, and six rebounds. He’s been shooting 46 percent from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc.

When the Sixers and the Celtics battled on Christmas Day, Brown accounted for 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the four-point win for Philadelphia. A rematch on February 2 was a better result for Boston, as they took down the Sixers with an eight-point win. Brown contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

The Sixers and the Celtics are scheduled for a 7 PM ET tip on Thursday.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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