The Boston Celtics beat one of their toughest rivals in the Eastern Conference, but the win may have cost them way more.
Late in the first half, Jaylen Brown took an elbow to the face from Jayson Tatum while trying to go for a rebound during their win over the Philadelphia 76ers, immediately going down in pain.
Brown had to go to the locker room right away and was unable to return for the second half of the game.
Now, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that Brown will likely spend a lot of time on the shelf, and he’s not even going to partake in the All-Star Break festivities and likely beyond due to a facial fracture.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown has suffered a facial fracture and will miss some time, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Initial feeling is Brown could be sidelined through the All-Star break, with further specialist examination on Thursday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2023
Needless to say, this is a massive blow for a Boston Celtics team that cannot afford to be without their second-best player for the most crucial stretch of the season.
As of now, Joe Mazzulla’s team sits at the best record in the league at 39-16, just 1.5 games above the Milwaukee Bucks and 12.0 games above the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks.
The Celtics’ depth will now be put to the test, with Malcolm Brogdon most likely sliding into the starting lineup to fill in for the injured Brown.
Also, Brad Stevens could be tempted to make a big move before Thursday’s trade deadline, depending on Brown’s potential return date.
Hopefully, the talented guard/forward won’t end up missing that much time, but it seems like it’s still too early to make a prediction about his immediate future.
NEXT: The Celtics Are Dealing With Several Injury Concerns
