Inside The Celtics

The Latest on Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown's Status for Game 5 vs. the Hawks

Marcus Smart was questionable for Game 4 due to a lower back contusion. Jaylen Brown's dealing with a right-hand laceration.

Bobby Krivitsky

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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In the second quarter of Sunday's 129-121 win over the Hawks, Celtics' star Jaylen Brown ditched his mask and removed the padding protecting his lacerated right hand.

That seemed to free the two-time All-Star to play more aggressively, as he relentlessly attacked the rim, generating 22 of his 31 points in the second half.

Brown consistently carving up Atlanta defenders and getting downhill also led to two crunch-time assists, creating back-to-back layups for Robert Williams, putting Boston ahead by seven with 3:14 left.

After the win, he discussed removing the mask and the protection on his shooting hand, prioritizing performance over comfort.

Fortunately for the Celtics, the cut in Brown's right hand hasn't warranted placing him on the injury report through their first four playoff games. And with him not on it a day before Game 5, that's likely to continue.

Marcus Smart, who registered 19 points, four assists, four rebounds, and only had two turnovers in Sunday's victory, is also absent from Monday's injury report.

The Celtics' floor general took a hard fall late in the final frame of Friday's loss.

Saturday, Smart stated, "A little bit sore today. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. Not really sure where we're at right now with playing, but we'll see."

Initially listed as questionable for Game 4, Smart suited up and often had a heating pad on when he was on the sideline. His absence from the injury report is an encouraging sign of how he's feeling the day after Boston built a 3-1 lead with the series returning to TD Garden.

And with Danilo Gallinari the only player on the Celtics' injury report, the hosts are poised to be at full strength as they aim to send Atlanta into the offseason and advance to a best-of-seven against the Sixers, who may be without Joel Embiid for at least the start of the next round.

Should Boston beat the Hawks Tuesday, Game 1 against Philadelphia is at TD Garden on Saturday. If not, whoever advances between the Celtics and Atlanta will face the Sixers starting Monday, May 1.

Further Reading

Celtics Praise Robert Williams for Impact in What They Deemed a Must-Win Game 4: 'Can't Even Give Words to What Rob Does on Our Team'

Jaylen Brown Discusses His Mask-Ditching Monster Performance as Celtics Push Hawks to Brink of Elimination

Jayson Tatum on Celtics' Maintaining a Must-Win Mindset: 'We're Trying Not to Make it Tougher on Ourselves'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 4 Win vs. Hawks: Jaylen Brown's 22 Second-Half Points Propels Boston to 3-1 Series Lead

Celtics Address Game 3 Loss to Hawks: 'This One Tonight is On Me'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss in Game 3 vs. Hawks: Boston Struggles to Find Balance as Atlanta Extends Series

[Film Room] Derrick White's Assertiveness Leads to 26 Points, MVP Chants as Celtics Take 2-0 Lead

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hawks in Game 2: Swarming Defense and 64 Paint Points Propels Boston to 2-0 Lead

The Celtics Discuss Their Game 1 Win vs. the Hawks: 'We Can't Take Our Foot Off the Gas'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 1 Win vs. Hawks: Championship-Caliber Defense Propels Hosts in Series Opener

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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