The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Celtics’ Brown one of many significant injuries
Injuries are having a major impact on the NBA playoffs.
A tweak, turn or strain to this or that has sidelined or limited players from AllStars to reserves — and that has influenced the early outcomes of Round 2.
After Jaylen Brown strained his right hamstring in Boston’s Game 7 win over Milwaukee, he all but begged the Celtics doctors and trainers to let him suit up for the start of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with Philadelphia.
Boston managed to win without him in its 117-101 victory over the sluggish 76ers in Game 1 Monday night, thanks to career nights by Al Horford, Terry Rozier and rookie Jayson Tatum.
But despite two days or rest and treatment, coach Brad Stevens said Brown is “very doubtful” for Game 2 on Thursday night.
“The bottom line is with this hamstring injury is it’s not terrible. Not a long-term thing. It shouldn’t linger if he comes back at the right time,” Stevens said.
If Brown can’t go for Game 2, it will again put stress on a Celtics rotation that just recently got back Marcus Smart from a right thumb surgery.
Fred VanVleet appeared to tweak his right shoulder in the second half of the Raptors’ 113-112 overtime loss to Cleveland in Game 1 of their series Tuesday night.
He missed most of Toronto’s first-round series against Washington with shoulder problems, but the Raptors still turned to him with the game on the line against the Cavaliers.
VanVleet missed what would have been a go-ahead 3-pointer in the waning moments of regulation and another in the extra frame.
“I wish I wasn’t hurt,” he said, “but I’m not looking for any excuses.”
Elsewhere in the league, the return of some players and absence of others has been just as noticeable.
Stephen Curry, who sat out all of Golden State’s first-round series win over San Antonio with a sprained ligament in his left knee, gave the Warriors a major lift in his return for Game 2 of the Golden State’s semifinal matchup with the Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Ricky Rubio missed the Jazz’s series-opening loss against Houston on Sunday with a left hamstring injury and is out indefinitely.
The Rockets’ Luc Mbah a Moute returned in Game 1 from the dislocated right shoulder he sustained last month.
Houston originally thought he’s be out a full month, but he came back ahead of schedule and didn’t show any lingering effects from the injury in Game 1.