BOSTON — Jaylen Brown is doubtful to play in Saturday’s Celtics game against the Toronto Raptors, listed on the injury report with a non-COVID illness.
Brown is fresh off a 30-point, 9-rebound, 7-assist win against the Miami Heat on Friday night, and has scored at least 30 points in 9 of his last 10 games.
In December, he’s averaging 32.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game, while shooting 53.6% from the field and 43.3% from three.
Brown has only missed one game this season — a game against the Washington Wizards that was on the first night of a back-to-back, also with a non-COVID illness.
This season, Brown is averaging career numbers across the board; he’s tallying 29.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, while shooting 50% from the field and 36.5% from three.
The Celtics eye the third seed on Saturday vs the Raptors
Outside of Brown, the Celtics have a clean injury report (except Jayson Tatum, of course, who remains sidelined as he recovers from an Achilles rupture suffered in May). If Brown is in fact sidelined, Sam Hauser will likely be inserted into the starting lineup, as he was against the Wizards. Hauser is fresh off his highest-scoring game since October, having exploded for 15 points — 12 in the fourth quarter — on Friday night.
The Celtics (16-11) will look to regain control of the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference as they face the Raptors in Toronto, who are 17-11. The Raptors, meanwhile, will be without RJ Barrett, who remains out with a right knee sprain. Center Jakob Poetl is doubtful to play with a lower back injury.
The Celtics have won 7 of their last 10 games, while the Raptors have won 4 of their last 10 games. Last time the two teams faced off, on December 7th, the Celtics came away with a 121-113 win.
