Why does Jaylen Brown wear a mask?

The 2023 NBA Playoffs are giving huge matchups with the last eight teams standing. There are headlines everywhere, with the clash between Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors probably being the most followed for having a can’t-miss head-to-head featuring LeBron James vs Steph Curry.

But in the Eastern Conference there is a series that is as traditional as it gets. The protagonists are the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers with stars on both sides. While the Celtics are led by Jayson Tatum, the 76ers have the reigning MVP Joel Embiid.

Though there is another key piece in Boston that shouldn’t be dismissed. The presence of Jaylen Brown is something that a lot of fans are interested in for how he plays, so that also brings the question about the mask he has been wearing lately.

Why is Jaylen Brown wearing a mask?

That has been a topic that some fans have been wondering about. Not only for the importance of the player, but also because it is impossible to not notice it. The reason why he is using that is very simple.

Jalen Brown wears a mask to protect him after suffering a facial fracture. He had that injury in an unfortunate play where he collided with his teammate Tatum in a 106-99 win over Philadelphia. The game took place on February 8, although the player feels it stills hasn’t fully healed.

He was able to take the mask off during game 4 vs the Atlanta Hawks. However, he quickly said he was going back with it. "Brown is going back with the mask on because he said he does not feel completely right now. He said he doesn't want to get hit, because if he gets hit there again, he might need surgery. He wants to protect himself for the rest of the season", Cedric Maxwell explained on NBC Sports Boston ahead of game 5 against the Hawks.

When did Jaylen Brown get injured?

Brown had his injury on February 8 facing the 76ers after colliding with Tatum. He then missed four consecutive games for that issue. Celtics star actually wore the mask for the first time in the All-Star Game. Here’s the play where Brown run into Tatum.