BOSTON — The Celtics practice for the first time since the conclusion of a 61-win regular season on Monday — and most importantly, everyone was available to practice, Joe Mazzulla confirmed.
That notably includes Jaylen Brown, who missed the final three games of the regular season and 12 of the season’s final 29 games with a right knee impingement.
Brown got injections for to help promote healing last week, as ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne reported, but the expectation remains that he’ll be available for Game 1 of the playoffs.
“Just part of the rehab process for him to get back to be his absolute best,” Mazzulla said of the injections on Sunday. “He’s continuing to take care of himself and put himself in great position to be ready for the postseason.”
When Celtics practice opened to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Brown was on the floor going through his regular shooting workout after practice and did not appear visibly limited.
Mazzulla said that Brown wasn’t limited at practice, and his teammates liked what they saw from the five-time All-Star.
“He looked great today,” said Al Horford. “I was very happy to see him out there, doing everything. It’s a really good sign for us.”
“Jaylen is very strong mentally. He finds a way. He’s the type that he’s out here putting in the work and trying to get himself ready to go. He understands what’s in front of us. I know that mentally he’s in a good place. I’m just excited to see him from this point going forward now.”
Jrue Holiday had a similar assessment.
“He looked good to me,” Holdiay said. “JB is going to be JB in terms of not showing weakness — everything is about not showing weakness, for him — being able to be strong mentally and physically. Nobody is worried about him. We all know he wants to be on the court every time we play. We also know he’s going to be prepared.”
Jrue Holiday with a positive update on Jaylen Brown from practice today:
“He looked good to me. JB is going to be JB in terms of not showing weakness — everything is about not showing weakness, for him.”
“Nobody is worried about him.”
(Q: @RealBobManning) pic.twitter.com/qbzPyr08VB
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 15, 2025
Jaylen Brown continues to be on pace to play Sunday
Brown will still have to ramp up from a minutes limitation — he was held to 30 minutes or less in the final weeks of the season — in to be ready for the heavier workload that comes with the playoffs.
Mazzulla said that Brown would take it one game at a time as he gets better and better.
Before the Celtics’ season finale on Sunday, Mazzulla said that he was “100%” confident that the 2024 Finals MVP would be available for the first game of the postseason.
Injury reports for Sunday’s game won’t be official until Saturday, but all indications out of Tuesday’s practice point to that still being the expectation.
