Jaylen Brown Out for Celtics vs. Warriors with Non-COVID-19 Illness

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is out of the lineup against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday because of a non-COVID-19 illness, head coach Brad Stevens told reporters pregame.

Brown played in the Celtics' most recent game, scoring 40 points over 32 minutes in the 121-113 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Brown has been able to stay healthy for the most part this season. He did suffer a knee contusion in the fourth quarter of an April 2 win over the Houston Rockets but didn't miss any time. His absence for the Celtics' home game Saturday will be his fifth missed matchup of the year.

Last season was the first time in Brown's career that he's missed more than 12 games, but he's otherwise been durable.

This has been a difficult year for the Celtics overall, with the team notably holding a 25-26 record after 51 games, though Brown has been a bright spot. The 24-year-old was named to the All-Star team for the first time and is on pace to set career highs in scoring average (24.6 per game), field-goal percentage (49.3) and three-point percentage (40.0).

However, Boston is currently on a roll after winning five straight to move to fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 30-26 record thanks largely to the former Cal star.

The C's might face a tough task Saturday against a Warriors team that has won four straight, though. Boston will be short-handed, as the team will also be without Evan Fournier (health and safety protocols) and Robert Williams (left knee soreness).