Joe Mazzulla Provides Injury Updates on Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart

Jaylen Brown's dealing with a right-hand laceration, and Marcus Smart recently pinched a nerve in his neck.

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics finished the regular season with a 57-25 record, second-best in the NBA. Unfortunately for the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Bucks (58-24) are the one team who finished ahead of them.

While Boston will likely have to go through the Sixers and Milwaukee to return to the NBA Finals, the latter is the only opponent the Celtics wouldn't have home-court advantage against, including if they again represent the Eastern Conference on the league's brightest stage.

Understanding they were likely going to finish second in the East, they leaned into load management in the campaign's final stretch.

What the franchise couldn't forecast was Jaylen Brown cutting his hand while picking up a glass vase he knocked over while watering his plants Thursday night, requiring five stitches.

The two-time All-Star likely wouldn't have played in Sunday's regular-season finale, a 120-114 win against the Hawks regardless, but the laceration he suffered caused him to miss Boston's final two tilts.

After Tuesday's practice at the Red Auerbach Center, Celtics' head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Brown's hand injury, "It's getting better; he wasn't able to practice today, but he was out there for everything. Still, no restrictions heading into Game 1."

As for Brown's backcourt mate, Marcus Smart, earlier this season, the team's floor general reaggravated a right ankle sprain he sustained during the Eastern Conference Finals last year, suffering a bone bruise he said a few days after the injury was "in exactly the same spot."

That ankle injury resulted in Smart missing 11-straight games from late January to mid-February.

He's also dealt with other ailments along the way, including a pinched nerve in his neck that, combined with the race for the one seed already decided, led to him missing Boston's final three matchups.

After the Celtics' 103-101 loss in Philadelphia last Tuesday, Smart conveyed the following about his left-side neck spasm.

"(I) can barely turn my head to the left, and it’s just stinging. My lower left arm is going numb here and there, so just trying to play through it and be out there for my team. But it definitely hurts. So, we’ll figure out what’s going on."

Exactly a week later, Mazzulla said of his starting point guard, "He's good. He ramped up. He was great today in practice," an encouraging sign as the defending Eastern Conference champions prepare for a playoff run they hope ends with them winning the one series they didn't last year.

Further Reading

Joe Mazzulla and Brad Stevens Discuss How the Celtics' Head Coach Has Grown in His First Year at the Helm: 'He's Been a Great Strength for Us'

Celtics Positioned for a Top Second-Round Pick

Ime Udoka Reportedly a Top Candidate for Multiple Head-Coaching Vacancies

Brad Stevens Provides Update on Celtics' Star Jaylen Brown's Injured Right Hand

Jayson Tatum is Ready for the Challenges that Await the Celtics in the Playoffs: 'We've Not Been Waiting for it But Working for it'

Jaylen Brown Shares What Winning the Red Auerbach Award Means to Him: 'I've Put My Everything Into This Team, I've Put My Everything Into This City'

Celtics Discuss Malcolm Brogdon's Sixth Man of the Year Candidacy

Jaylen Brown on His Relationship with Jayson Tatum: 'We’re a Part of Each Other’s Destiny'