Jaylen Brown's Message to Jayson Tatum Following Wrist Injury

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 12:18 PM ET

The Boston Celtics took care of business in Game 2 against the Orlando Magic, but they had to do so without their best player. Superstar forward Jayson Tatum was sidelined due to a wrist injury sustained in Game 1, leaving his co-star Jaylen Brown with the task of leading Boston's offense — and the four-time All-Star responded with a dominant showing.

While this was unfortunate news for Boston, Brown delivered one of his most complete performances of the season, posting 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the 109-100 victory on Wednesday night. The 2024 Finals MVP was steady throughout the night, particularly when Orlando made runs behind Paolo Banchero’s 32-point effort and Franz Wagner’s 25.

The Celtics pulled away in the third quarter and held firm down the stretch, with strong contributions from Kristaps Porzingis (20 points, 10 rebounds), Derrick White (17 points), and Payton Pritchard (14 points).

After the unfortunate news that Tatum would be sidelined, Brown not only stepped up, but sent a message on his mindset.

“No different,” Brown said when asked about the team’s mindset without Tatum. “Obviously, JT is the offensive leader of our team. We all kind of play off of him. But on any given night, I can rise to the occasion. I just do what the team needs me to do.”

Jaylen Brown on his mindset playing without Jayson Tatum:

“No different. Obviously, JT is the offensive leader of our team. We all kind of play off of him. But on any given night, I can rise to the occasion. I just do what the team needs me to do.” pic.twitter.com/aBUPYXK8Uv
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 24, 2025

Tatum, who was diagnosed with a bone bruise and listed as day-to-day, had never missed a playoff game in his career.

As the series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 on Saturday, the Celtics are hoping for their star’s return. But if not, they’ll continue leaning on Brown and a roster that is obviously built for the biggest moments.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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