BOSTON — A preseason injury is never a good sign, but it'd be especially disastrous for the Boston Celtics. The C's already have to manage without star forward Jayson Tatum for the foreseeable future, as the six-time All-Star is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered during the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Boston's other major star, Jaylen Brown, also caught the injury bug when he left the Green Team's preseason finale midway through the first quarter due to hamstring tightness.
Thankfully for Boston, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn't seem too worried about Brown's health scare. In fact, less than two days after it occurred during a 110-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, Brown was at practice in an almost normal capacity.
“He was able to do everything but the live stuff,” Mazzulla said on Friday afternoon at the Auerbach Center.
When asked whether or not the longest-tenured Celtic would be ready to go for Boston's regular season opener, Mazzulla didn't give an official ruling.
“I haven't caught up with him yet,” he admitted. “I expect him to just be at his best every single day and then we'll kind of take it from there. But just one day at a time.”
Joe Mazzulla said Jaylen Brown did everything today as usual except live-ball activities.
Also mentioned him being “day-to-day.”
Brown left the preseason finale early with hamstring tightness. pic.twitter.com/6LRjAq8krD
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) October 17, 2025
Mazzulla isn't one to delve into injury reports, yet he did hint that Brown's current situation isn't dire.
“It's a day-to-day thing,” he said.
With the weekend off, the Celtics will have time to rest ahead of their first contest of the 2025-26 campaign, which takes place at TD Garden on Wednesday, October 22. The C's will square off against the rival Philadelphia 76ers, who have some injury troubles of their own.
Nine-time All-Star Paul George isn't expected to play against Boston, and 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid has been plagued by knee issues. However, the Sixers star center is cleared to play on Friday night for Philadelphia's final preseason outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Since Embiid is likely playing on Wednesday, the Celtics will need all the help they can get to counter his scoring. And although Mazzulla might not say it, Boston would not only love but also probably need Brown healthy to match Philly's firepower.
