Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown received pain management injections in his right knee with hopes of it healing ahead of the postseason, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Brown has dealt with a bone bruise in his knee for nearly a month. The injury forced him to miss the Celtics' last two games and seven contests total since March 14. He last appeared in the Celtics' overtime win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, playing 21 minutes.
The reigning Finals MVP is expected to be ready for Boston's first playoff game, as the Celtics begin their title defense, Shelburne reported.
Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis said after Tuesday's win that he urged Brown to rest before the postseason begins.
"He's a tough dude," Porzingis said. "He always preaches his warrior mindset. He lives by it. But to what extent do we need that right now? Maybe he needs to take care of it and make sure he's going to be ready for the most important moment. I think we need to encourage him to make sure he does everything he needs to prepare to get it healthy and to prepare for what's going to come."
Brown is averaging 22.2 points in 63 games this season while shooting a career-worst 32.4% from three. He's ineligible for any awards because he won't meet the league's 65-game requirement.
The Celtics have already clinched the 2-seed in the East. They play their final regular-season game Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.
