The Boston Celtics were red-hot, scorching the West — until they weren’t. Their nine-game winning streak came to a halt Wednesday night with a 124–103 loss to the Miami Heat. But the bigger story? Jaylen Brown. Still balling. Still battling. And still not at 100%.
The Celtics star kept it real after the game, opening up about a lingering knee injury and how it’s changed the way he approaches things. But on April 4, Brown made an even bigger statement.
Jaylen Brown’s Knee Is Still Barking, But the Buckets Keep Coming
The Celtics were short on firepower against Miami. No Jrue Holiday. No Kristaps Porzingis. No Al Horford. But Boston leaned on its guy. Brown dropped 24 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and shot 50% from the field. What fans didn’t see? The grind behind it.
Brown’s been questionable for a while now, playing through a nagging knee issue that won’t go away. And after Boston’s recent win over the Phoenix Suns, he didn’t sugarcoat it — he’s on a minutes restriction and learning to adjust without the burst fans are used to.
“Learning to make adjustments,” Brown said after the loss to Miami. “I probably relied on my athleticism a lot. But this season, using more my skill, playing a little bit slower, which can sometimes be a good thing.”
Jaylen Brown on leaning more on skill than athleticism as he navigates playing through his knee injury:
“Learning to make adjustments. I probably relied on my athleticism a lot. But this season, using more my skill, playing a little bit slower, which can sometimes be a good… https://t.co/4VEP8AEL0L pic.twitter.com/Mh878h8xHz
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) April 5, 2025
No dunks. No fast-break slams. No highlight-reel transitions. Just skill. Just buckets. Just grind. Even while limping through this stretch, Brown’s still finding ways to cook defenders.
All-NBA? Brown’s Not Chasing the Numbers
It’s one of those seasons where the rulebook’s playing a bigger role. The NBA’s 65-game requirement for All-NBA consideration? That’s a thing. But for Brown? It’s not what’s motivating him.
“Jaylen Brown says the 65-game threshold to qualify for an All-NBA team is not a part of his calculus for whether he should play,” Celtics insider Bobby Krivitsky reported.
Jaylen Brown says the 65-game threshold to qualify for an All-NBA team is not a part of his calculus for whether he should play in any of the Celtics' remaining regular season games.
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) April 3, 2025
And honestly? Respect. Brown’s not chasing accolades—he’s chasing wins. Still, if he keeps putting up numbers like he did against Phoenix on Friday (31 points, five rebounds, three assists), the All-NBA buzz will only grow, rules or not.
On the season he’s averaging 22.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Even with the loss to Miami, Boston remains atop the Eastern Conference. The win over Phoenix shows they’re still locked in. Brown’s evolving, adjusting, and proving that even a slower version of himself is still a matchup problem.
His knee might not be perfect. But his mindset? All business.