Celtics

“When I think about it, everything gets a little messed up, but I’ll be fine.”

Jaylen Brown missed Saturday’s game against the Hornets due to a lingering hip injury.

Brown told Gary Washburn about it The Boston Spherethat he plans to have the hip examined by doctors and have some medical scans made. He twisted his hip during the third quarter of Friday’s game.

“I got an MRI during training camp and it’s been back and forth since then,” Brown said. “(Friday) I think I extended it a little bit, and it’s already giving me some problems. I’ll have to get another MRI and go from there.

Saturday’s game was the first Brown missed this season. He averaged 35.8 minutes over the Celtics’ first five games, including 37 on Friday night. He averages 25.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Brown said he doesn’t like missing games. He added that the injury has bothered him and would not comment on whether he will be available to return against the Hawks.

The first MRI showed fluid in the area, according to Washburn.

“I haven’t felt like my legs were underneath me because of this hip flexor,” Brown said. “It affects my explosion and my outburst more. And then, mentally, trying to figure that out too. Thinking about it messes everything up a bit, but I’ll be fine.

Brown played in 70 games last season, his highest total since the 2018-19 season. The Celtics star has never missed more than 15 games in a season.

The Celtics improved to 6-1 with a win against the Hornets on Saturday. They have been without Kristaps Porzingis, who is recovering from left tibialis tendon surgery.

Khari A. Thompson

Sports reporter

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Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

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