Jaylen Brown made his return to the court for the Boston Celtics after missing two games due to left Achilles tendinitis. Despite his efforts, the Celtics fell to the Atlanta Hawks, 112-102. Playing in his hometown, Brown put up impressive numbers with 29 points and nine assists, both leading the game, and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
After the game, Brown addressed any concerns about his injury, saying, "Nah, everybody's dealing with something - just some soreness. Definitely want to make sure you stay healthy as much as possible, and you don't want to risk anything, but it'll be fine going forward."
So, should fans be worried about Brown's Achilles? Well, his near triple-double performance doesn't tell the whole story.
He did struggle with six turnovers, the most in the game, as he tried to find his rhythm after a few days off. Half of those turnovers came in the first quarter as he shook off the rust.
Brown found his way to the free-throw line frequently in the third quarter, hitting 5 of 8 attempts. He ended up 8 for 14 from the stripe, which is a noticeable dip from his usual 80.2 percent on the season.
Shooting-wise, Brown hit just 9 of 29 from the field, including 3 of 9 from three-point range. It's tough to pinpoint how much of that was due to his time off, his injury, or the tough Hawks defense, which ranks just outside the top 10 in defensive rating.
Keeping an eye on Brown's situation is wise, but he's known for taking excellent care of his body. Plus, the Celtics' training staff has a strong track record of keeping players healthy, which should reassure fans.
With seven games left in the season and some downtime during the play-in tournament, Brown has the opportunity to rest and recharge. Having already played in 66 games, he's eligible for regular-season awards, but it's unlikely he'll suit up for every remaining game.
The hope is that this rest will allow Brown to perform at his peak during the playoffs. He's had an All-NBA First Team-worthy season, and with Jayson Tatum also in top form, the duo could lead Boston back to the NBA's pinnacle.