The Latest on the Health Front for the Celtics and Hawks Ahead of Game 1

The Hawks punched their playoff ticket with a 116-105 win over the Heat in Miami. John Collins knocked down a three about a minute after Jimmy Butler scored the game's first basket, and Atlanta led the rest of the contest.

That earned Trae Young and Co. the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round matchup against the second-seeded Celtics.

One of and perhaps the topic of conversation discussed most frequently as Boston begins what it hopes is a playoff run that ends with raising Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters is the status of Jaylen Brown.

A right-hand laceration ended the two-time All-Star's regular season early. Before the Celtics' 121-102 win over the Raptors last Friday, Brown said he cut it picking up a glass vase he knocked over while watering his plants, requiring five stitches.

This year's Red Auerbach Award winner returned to practice on Thursday, sporting a small wrap near his right index finger, as captured by Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.

Little wrap visible near right index finger. pic.twitter.com/E90zlvseGd
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) April 13, 2023

After Friday's practice, Brown conveyed the solution he's settled on lessens the pain and maybe impacts the feel of the ball in his hand a little bit, but "this time, you've got to be able to adjust...It's the playoffs, everybody is dealing with something, so it's unfortunate, but I'm not going to let it stop me."

Fortunately for the Celtics, ahead of their series opener against the Hawks, the only player on their injury report is Danilo Gallinari, who hasn't played all season due to a torn ACL.

Along with Brown, the most notable absence from Boston's injury report is Marcus Smart. The Celtics' floor general's dealt with a litany of injuries this season, including a pinched nerve on the left side of his neck.

After Thursday's practice, Smart said he's still dealing with some pain in his neck and that he's not quite 100 percent yet, but he’s pretty close to it.

As for the visitors, Atlanta's also at full strength for this Round 1 tilt.

Game 1 between the Celtics and Hawks tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.