Jaylen Brown Doubtful vs. Raptors as Celtics Eye Climb in East
BOSTON - The Celtics might be without one of their hottest players when they take the floor Saturday night in Toronto. Jaylen Brown is listed as doubtful due to a non-COVID illness, just one night after putting on a clinic against the Miami Heat.
Brown was electric on Friday, dropping 30 points, pulling down 9 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists in a performance that showcased just how complete his game has become. That outing was no outlier - Brown has scored at least 30 in 9 of his last 10 games, and he’s been on a December tear that’s hard to ignore.
Through the month, Brown is averaging 32.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game while shooting a blistering 53.6% from the field and 43.3% from deep. That’s not just a hot streak - that’s superstar-level production.
And it’s not just December. Across the full season, Brown is posting career-best numbers: 29.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, shooting an efficient 50% from the floor and 36.5% from beyond the arc. He’s been the engine behind Boston’s offense, especially with Jayson Tatum still sidelined as he continues to recover from the Achilles rupture he suffered back in May.
If Brown does sit out Saturday, it’ll be just his second missed game of the season - the first also due to a non-COVID illness during a back-to-back against the Wizards. In that game, Sam Hauser stepped into the starting lineup, and he could be called on again in Toronto. Hauser is coming off his best scoring night since October, pouring in 15 points - including 12 in the fourth quarter - in Friday’s win over Miami.
Outside of Brown and the long-term absence of Tatum, the Celtics’ injury report is clean. That’s good news for a team looking to reclaim the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston enters the matchup at 16-11, just behind the 17-11 Raptors.
Toronto will be without RJ Barrett, who remains out with a right knee sprain, and may also be missing center Jakob Poeltl, who is listed as doubtful with a lower back issue.
The Celtics have won 7 of their last 10 and are trending in the right direction. The Raptors, meanwhile, have dropped 6 of their last 10 and are looking to find some consistency. When these two teams met earlier this month on December 7, Boston came out on top with a 121-113 win.
Saturday’s game carries more than just regular-season weight - it’s a chance for the Celtics to continue their climb in the East, even if they have to do it without one of their stars.