Brown Battled Through Pain for Weeks
Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown spent the final stretch of the regular season, and all of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, playing with a partially torn right meniscus, according to sources close to the team.
The injury, diagnosed in March, forced Brown to undergo multiple injections to manage pain. He sat out the final three regular-season games. However, he returned in time for the postseason and adapted his game to suit his limited mobility.
A Diminished Star Still Produced
Despite the physical toll, Brown still contributed significantly. He averaged 22.1 points and 7.1 rebounds over 36.5 minutes per game. Yet his movement was clearly restricted at times. Opponents keyed in on his reduced lateral agility and limited burst to close out the series in six games, a series covered in more detail in our report on the Celtics’ Game 6 elimination.
Following the Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Brown addressed the media with humility and pride.
“I don’t make excuses,” he said. “The way we finished the year, personally, the way I finished the year, persevering through some physical stuff that I was battling through, I’m proud of our group.”
A Wounded Core: More Than Just Jaylen
Brown wasn’t the only injured Celtic. Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in Game 4. Kristaps Porzingis never returned to form after suffering from illness during the season’s second half.
With its stars limping toward the finish line, Boston’s postseason flameout wasn’t just a loss, it was a breakdown. The Celtics, the East’s top seed for much of the year, ended their playoff campaign in the second round.
What’s Next for Boston?
Brown will undergo further evaluation this week to determine if surgery is needed this summer. Meanwhile, the Celtics’ front office faces critical decisions. Health concerns hover over the team’s biggest contracts. Tatum’s recovery will take time. Porzingis must regain consistency. And Brown, depending on surgery, could miss part of training camp.
Boston now enters an offseason of uncertainty, not only with its roster but with its championship timeline.
What happened next
Brown had the surgery. He underwent a right knee arthroscopic procedure in June 2025 and was cleared to participate in training camp without limitation, according to NBC Sports. Tatum’s Achilles recovery was expected to keep him out for most or all of the following season, leaving Brown to carry the Celtics as their primary leader while Boston rebuilt around its health question marks.
