Prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 NBA regular season, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown tested positive for COVID-19. He missed the team’s final three tune-up contests during the preseason, but has suited up for four of Boston’s five regular-season games and even dropped 46 points on opening night against the New York Knicks. However, Brown said he’s experiencing residual effects of the virus, per Chris Grenham of Forbes Sports.
Jaylen Brown says he has noticed over the last couple of games that his body isn’t recovering like it was before covid.
“Instead of playing one game, it kind of feels like I played three.”
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) October 29, 2021
Brown is not the first Celtic to report long-term effects of a bout with COVID. Last season, in January, teammate Jayson Tatum contracted COVID and said he had to start taking an inhaler before games, which he’d never previously done.
“I take an inhaler before the game since I’ve tested positive,” Tatum said, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “This has kind of helped with that and opened up my lungs.”
Similarly, Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry contracted COVID in January and was transparent about the lengthy process required for him to regain rhythm and his athletic capacity.
Brown has not said anything to indicate he wants to take time off to get back to 100 percent. So far this season, Boston’s 25-year-old All-Star is averaging 24.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 37.5 minutes per game, with his scoring and minutes marks second on the team only to Tatum.