MEMPHIS — Time is running out for Jaylen Brown to qualify for NBA awards, and missing Monday’s game against the Grizzlies didn’t help his cause.
After working out at FedEx Forum, Brown was declared out with right posterior knee impingement, meaning he will need to play six of the Celtics’ final seven games to reach 65 games played, the minimum for any player to qualify for league honors.
Brown has played 59 of Boston’s 75 games but has been banged up the past few weeks. He worked out during his normal pregameand even did some weight room work but was ruled out about 45 minutes before tip.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he understands the importance of players being eligible for awards, which could be attached to monetary incentives. Brown barely missed out on the All-NBA team last season and would be a strong candidate this season.
“I think it’s the balance; it’s what gives you the best chance,” Mazzulla said when asked about playing Brown when he’s not 100 percent. “Where are you at right now and what gives us the best chance as a team and what gives you the best chance as an individual to perform and do the things we need you to do that you’re great at to help us win.
“As long as we can maintain that balance, I think that stuff is super important. He’s a competitive guy and he does what it takes to put himself in position to help us win. You have to reward that and he knows that balance, so you just work together on it.”
The competition for Brown to make an All-NBA team will be heavy but other candidates such as the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard may not reach the 65-game minimum.
Spurs fans gave Derrick White a hearty ovation when he was introduced before the Celtics’ 121-111 win Saturday, and the organization is still grateful for his contributions. The trade that sent White to the Celtics didn’t exactly reap rewards for the Spurs.
They received former first-round pick Romeo Langford (out of the NBA), Josh Richardson, a 2022 first-round pick (Blake Wesley), and a 2028 first-round pick. White helped the Celtics to two NBA Finals and a championship.
San Antonio interim coach Mitch Johnson, who was White’s coach with then D-League Austin, has fond memories.
“At this point I just smile and shrug my shoulder,” Johnson said. “The guy’s a stud. He’s one of those guys; it’s hard to be mad at him. He’s in such a good place in every sense. His family’s growing. He’s got his own beer. He’s a champion. He’s riding high. I still laugh, just his first D-League game and the struggles he had and by the end of the season it was a joke that he was even back with us in Austin.
“He deserves everything he’s getting. It’s just fun to follow him and be a fan of his. Selfishly some of those guys when I was with in player development, the nicest thing is when they leave because you don’t have to worry about did they make the right pass, you can just be a fan, just like a family member almost. You hope they score 50 points and I don’t care if he does the right thing every time.”
White said he appreciated the adulation when he returns to his first NBA city.
“It was cool to hear my name called and everybody cheered,” White said. “It’s always great to go back there and see people that work at the arena, even people that have courtside seats and season tickets from when I was there. To see a bunch of people that I don’t see that often is always going to be special.”
The Celtics scratched Luke Kornet with a non-COVID illness after he pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds in Saturday’s win at San Antonio. Al Horford, who missed Saturday with a sprained toe, returned. The Grizzlies were without forward Brandon Clarke, who sat out with a right knee PCL sprain … The Suns announced star forward Kevin Durant won’t make the upcoming three-game trip, which includes a stop Friday in Boston. Durant sprained his left ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Rockets.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
