Boston is coming off a 109-86 drubbing of the Houston Rockets. In that game, Kristaps Porzingis finally returned to action after spraining his ankle. He played 28 minutes and had 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. The Celtics still didn't have their full starting lineup up there.

Another Celtics star remained sidelined, however. Jaylen Brown missed his second straight game with a right shoulder sprain. Al Horford also sat out for rest purposes on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Oklahoma City Thunder used a second half surge to overcome the Boston Celtics and it big key was keeping Jaylen Brown scoreless after intermission. How did the Thunder pull that off?

Jaylen Brown will miss the Boston Celtics’ game at Minnesota on Thursday night with a strained right shoulder.

Jaylen Brown picked up a new injury during the Celtics’ New Year’s Eve rout of the Toronto Raptors. Brown appeared to injure his right shoulder early in the 125-71 victory at TD Garden. After head coach Joe Mazzulla lifted his starters at the start of the fourth quarter, a team trainer wrapped the shoulder in a large ice pack.

Jaylen Brown finished the loss with 21 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block while shooting 8/19 from the field and 1/6 from the three-point range in 40 minutes of playing time.

He poured in 21 points in the first half but was held scoreless in the second half of Boston’s 105-92 loss that stretched the Thunder’s winning streak to 15.