Celtics' Jaylen Brown Receives Painkilling Shot Amid Irksome Knee Injury

The Celtics are gearing up for a title defense in the playoffs next week.

Brown warms up before a game. / John Jones-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jaylen Brown received a painkilling shot in his right knee as the franchise gears up to defend its NBA title in the upcoming postseason, sources told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

Brown has been dealing with what the team has called "right knee posterior impingement." He has been listed on the team's injury report with the knee issue since March 2, and has missed a string of games due to the injury. In doing so, Brown won't reach the 65-game threshold required to qualify for awards and All-NBA consideration.

But that's a small price for both he and the team to pay with the potential to win back-to-back championships on the table.

Earlier in April, Brown told reporters that he accepted the fact that he won't feel like his "normal self" on most nights. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, while offering few details, expressed his confidence that Brown would be ready to go come playoff time.

Indeed, he is expected to be ready for Game 1 of the Celtics' first-round series, which will begin on April 19 or April 20.

Brown, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, has averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field in 63 games played this season for the Celtics (60-21), who have secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

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