Jayson Tatum made every attempt to return from what looked like a significant ankle injury two nights earlier in Sacramento, going through shootaround, getting upgraded to questionable and appearing on the floor close to tip-off in Phoenix. That he would play, with Boston’s seeding secure and 10 games remaining, seemed improbable and perhaps unwise. The Celtics steered clear and sat him.
That left Jaylen Brown, also dealing with knee and various other ailments this season, pushing through pain that left him absent from four of the previous five games before this week. He left the fifth game with back spasms, and while his limited return showed him out of rhythm and scoring only nine points, Wednesday’s 30-point win over the Suns looked closer to a normal Brown night. He scored 24 points on 7-for-15 shooting, hit four threes and dished five assists with Tatum out. The duo, central to the Celtics’ championship repeat hopes, will inevitably rest more over the final nine games. But maintaining momentum, ramping up minutes to playoff level and preparing to play through pain in the playoffs all motivate both to remain available even when hurt.
It’s a difficult balance for Boston, locked into the east’s second seed with next to nothing to play for with nine games remaining. While conventional thinking would point toward sitting out anyone with lingering ailments for most if not all of that remaining stretch. Especially when Tatum, on the second night of a back-to-back, suffered an unnecessary collision with a defender that left him looking far more injured than he appeared to be. Unfortunately, that can happen at any moment, and for Brown, speaking to reporters in Phoenix after the game, there’s not much hope of his ailment completely healing before the playoffs anyway. With a bone bruise, the ability to manage and perform through the pain becomes as much of a skill for NBA players as anything else.
There are clearly limits though. Tatum probably keeps playing on Monday in Sacramento if it’s the playoffs, the team listing him doubtful to return after he exited in the third quarter. That meant he almost definitely would’ve suited up two days later with more on the line. There just isn’t right now, though. Time, health and seeding all work in Boston’s favor before the playoffs begin in over three weeks, and while they await a first round opponent during the play-in tournament, the Celtics get as many as 2-3 full practices in leading up to the series. Another chance to ramp-up.
For now, Brown said he’s playing through a minutes restriction following his return, and while Joe Mazzulla values every opportunity in front of him, he sat Brown and Kristaps Porziņģis in the fourth quarter at Phoenix after the Celtics effectively put the game away by the end of the third. The night proved valuable for Brown, finding his athletic burst with a driving dunk, reconnecting often with Porziņģis and further developing what have been strong non-Tatum minutes for the Celtics this season. Entering the game, Boston out-scored opponents by 10.06 points per 100 possessions with Brown on the floor and Tatum off. That was before the Celtics won Brown’s minutes by 24 points against the Suns.
Phoenix tried to double-team Boston early, and the Celtics moved the ball right out of the trap to generate shockingly wide open threes. Brown sunk his first two and Boston started 6-for-8 on its way to 10 in the first quarter alongside 42 points. Al Horford started in place of Tatum, providing more double-big minutes for him, Porziņģis and Luke Kornet, the Celtics still tinkering with lining up Horford against more mismatches to score and pass. He finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while Porziņģis poured in 30 points.
The defense didn’t fare as well, allowing 38 points in the opening frame, giving up 30 to Kevin Durant and Mazzulla noted the moments Devin Booker received and missed open looks after the game. None of it came close to mattering, even Durant reaching 30 on 11-for-16 shooting by the end of the night. The Suns entered playing good basketball, Mike Budenholzer found adjustments that worked and Tatum’s absence opened the door for them to score a critical win in their race for the final play-in spot in the west. Yet the Celtics, for the seventh straight night, won with relative ease despite dealing with injuries, rest or mid-game departures. Boston closed, 30-26, after Tatum’s departure on Monday and the offense hummed in his absence.
He didn’t appear thrilled seated on the team’s bench throughout the win, a strength 90% of the time for the Celtics except at this point in the season. While players undoubtedly have some say in their availability, and some like Brown have games played minimums (needing to play in seven of the final nine games to stay eligible for All-NBA), the bigger goal everyone on the Celtics remain aligned on still waits roughly three months from now. Boston has the advantage of having relatively strong health now, and the ability to manage its roster toward an even better position. Mazzulla wants to win every game, while understanding the balance of getting the team what it needs, but Wednesday again showed that the Celtics can do both. Boston even wins the minutes that both Tatum and Brown don’t play this regular season — but one thing’s for certain. That won’t last into the playoffs.
They need both healthy, fresh and available when it matters.
