“There’s not a lot of padding on it, so it’s just a different feel shooting the ball,” Brown said. “(The pain) is fine. Especially with the adrenaline of the game, you kind of just get going.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
It wasn’t obvious to anyone who watched him post 29 points and 12 rebounds in the Celtics‘ series-opening win Saturday, but Jaylen Brown was having trouble gripping the ball because of a cut that reopened on his right hand, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN. Brown originally suffered the cut while watering his plants last week and had to get five stitches. He wasn’t able to practice until Thursday and is still experimenting with the best way to protect the hand while he’s playing.
“It’s a constant adjustment, making sure I have a good grip on the ball,” Brown said, although he told reporters that he doesn’t expect the injury to bother him throughout the entire series.
Brown started Saturday’s game with padding over the cut, but it seemed to distract him, according to Harvey. He went to the locker room after checking out in the first quarter and returned with a new bandage that appeared to be more comfortable.
- Sam Hauser moved ahead of Grant Williams in the Celtics‘ Game 1 rotation, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Williams has been struggling with his shot lately, Robb adds, while Hauser played well against the Hawks in the regular season, so the move was a way to put more pressure on Atlanta’s defense. Robb adds that Boston will need Williams against bigger teams later in the playoffs, but the Hawks don’t have anyone capable of exploiting Hauser’s defensive shortcomings.
- Suns coach Monty Williams is glad to see Mikal Bridges blossoming into a star with the Nets, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Bridges has averaged 26.1 PPG since being sent to Brooklyn in February as part of the Kevin Durant trade. He scored 30 points in Saturday’s loss to the Sixers, one short of his career playoff high. “Mikal is shooting the ball a lot and making a lot,” Williams said. “I’m happy for him. I see him balling. That’s what I see. You know how it works. If we’re not playing him, I want him to succeed. I love him and (Cameron Johnson) like family. Those boys have been balling since they got to Brooklyn.”
- The Sixers got a lift from their “energy guys” in the win over Brooklyn, observes Rich Hofmann of The Athletic. P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed both delivered big games as Philadelphia pulled away. “Five for six, a couple dunks, a couple rebounds, a couple steals,” Reed said. “That’s what Paul Reed does.”
Referring himself in the 3rd person lol. Luke207 bugs everyone on here
Those Plants must have been weed, otherwise what was a multimillionaire doing in a garden!?
Loved those Celtics uniforms yesterday. Especially #44.
Somehow Celts need to keep their offense moving in the 2nd half of games when we have a lead. We go real tentative. Right near the end D. White just brought the ball barely over the mid-court line and allowed Atlanta to double him. Caused big problems and then next time Jaylen couldn’t find an outlet and bounce-passed the ball away. Lucky Smart chased & made that out-of-sight block! Lucky too we have “Playoff Al” Horford in there at the end. Mr. Clutch! He made that three and then an overshadowed great block! Go Celtics!
The Hawks may actually been finding some sort of game. and that’s concerning, especially for Boston. They should be worried about about letting losing that 30 pt lead. Because of Rob Will goes down, Celtics could lose the series
The Hawks won the 2nd half by 17 points so they found something, and yes, once again Celts couldn’t handle a big lead. Just have to hope Celts can learn from the experience and that they can play more mistake-free ball. 17 turnovers again will kill us. 17 times, no shot. And it wasn’t just Jaylen with his bad hand. Concentrate guys! Go Celtics!