Apr 27, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Celtics vs Magic Game 5: Is Jaylen Brown Playing?

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Apr 29, 2025 7:26 PM ET

The Eastern Conference's No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics currently pace the No. 7-seeded Orlando Magic, 3-1, heading into a pivotal Game 5 encounter in TD Garden on Tuesday night.

The reigning champs need to ice just one more victory in order to advance to the second round, meaning Game 5 is a must-win for the other side.

But which Celtics stars will be available to suit up?

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Multiple Boston starters have missed at least one game in this series. Six-time All-Star Boston power forward Jayson Tatum sat out Game 2 with a bone bruise in his right wrist, while six-time All-Defensive Team guard Jrue Holiday has been absent since Game 2 due to a strained right hamstring.

Four-time All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown has been questionable heading into most of the games with a right knee posterior impingement, although he has ultimately been available for each of the previous four contests.

Boston revealed on Monday that Holiday would sit out a third consecutive game with the hamstring issue. Brown, once again, had been listed as questionable.

Injury Report for tomorrow vs. Orlando:

Jaylen Brown (right knee posterior impingement) - QUESTIONABLE
Jrue Holiday (right hamstring strain) - OUT
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 28, 2025

The reigning Finals MVP has been averaging 23.0 points on .492/.429/.889 shooting splits — a marked improvement on his .463/.324/.764 regular season slash line — plus 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals in these four games.

Although it leads Orlando 3-1, Boston has been struggling to withstand the Magic's ruthless defense, which has been capitalizing on attendant officials' general attempt to swallow their whistles throughout the playoffs. Despite this, Brown seems to have thrived through the hard fouling.

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Although the Celtics blew the doors off Orlando in their series opener, 103-86, the margins have been far narrower since then. Boston won Game 2 by just nine points, 109-100, withstanding a closing push by the Magic. The Celtics fell 95-93 to Orlando in Game 3, and managed to hold on long enough to win by nine points again, 107-98, in Game 4.

Now, the Celtics have revealed Brown's final status for the matchup.