David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Ime Udoka Provides Update on Jaylen Brown's Ankle Injury
Less than three minutes into Tuesday's win against the Hawks, Jaylen Brown rolled his right ankle after stepping on De'Andre Hunter's foot while going to the basket for a transition layup. Not long after that, the Celtics announced he was out for the rest of the game due to a right ankle sprain.
Unsurprisingly, Ime Udoka said Brown missed Wednesday's practice, adding he's unlikely to play against the Grizzlies on Thursday but does not expect him sidelined long term.
"He was out. Some swelling, pain as well, obviously. More so than last night. Get evaluated in the next few days, unlikely tomorrow, but you never know overnight. It'll be a day-to-day thing."
When Brown got hurt, understandably, the Celtics were a bit shellshocked. It took them a while to regroup as the Hawks, who saw Trae Young briefly exit the game after turning his ankle when he landed on Marcus Smart's foot on his way from rising for a three, hung 65 first-half points on one of the NBA's best defenses.
Speaking about that on Wednesday, Al Horford said, "We definitely were taken back by it. And it took us, probably until halftime, to get it going...Marcus (Smart) told us at halftime, if we're going to win the game, we have to come out with a lot of energy."
The Celtics proceeded to go on a 14-0 run to start the second half to tie the game. Their ability to refocus, raise their energy, and play with more physicality on defense resulted in outscoring the Hawks 56-33 in the final two frames to earn a 107-98 victory.
At 37-27, the Celtics are now half a game behind the fifth-place Cavaliers, one back of the fourth-seeded Bucks, and they trail the Sixers, who are in third, by two.
They host Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night; The game tips off at 7:30 ET. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
Isaiah Thomas Signs 10-Day Deal with the Hornets
Profile on Celtics' Newest Signing, Matt Ryan
Film Study: Marcus Smart's Stellar Two-Way Performance Against the Nets
The Trials, Tribulations, and Growth of Ime Udoka in His First Year as Celtics' Head Coach
