Why is Jaylen Brown not playing tonight against Detroit Pistons? Latest injury update on Celtics star (Dec. 28)

Jaylen Brown has been ruled out for the Boston Celtics' upcoming game against the Detroit Pistons tonight thanks to a back injury sustained on Christmas Day. With the Boston Celtics currently sitting atop the Eastern Conference with a 23-6 record that's seen them win three straight, the team seems to be playing it safe rather than sorry.

Of course, on the flip side, the Detroit Pistons are currently in the midst of one of the worst statistical seasons in NBA history. Following back-to-back losses to the Brooklyn Nets, the team made NBA history with the worst single-season losing streak of all-time with 27 straight losses.

Given that, and the injuries Pistons starters Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes are dealing with, it looks as though the Celtics are opting to rest Jaylen Brown. Ahead of the game, fans are hopeful that coach Joe Mazzulla will give an update on Brown, however, so far the coach has yet to speak to media members.

While there had also been concern among fans that Jayson Tatum could miss the game with a left ankle sprain, he is listed as available. Per the NBA.com official injury report, which is updated hourly, Tatum will play in Brown's absence.

What happened to Jaylen Brown?

On Christmas Day, the Boston Celtics played the LA Lakers in a highly-anticipated affair. In the second quarter, LeBron James was defending Jaylen Brown, when the Celtics standout appeared to slip.

As a result, the two men collided, with James' knee appearing to hit Brown's lower back. Immediately, the pair hit the floor, with James grabbing his leg, and Brown grabbing his lower back.

Both men were checked out of the game, with James returning moments later. On the flip side, Jaylen Brown went back to the locker room, before then returning to the game in the third quarter. Despite that, the team seems to be playing it safe by kepeing him out of the Celtics-Pistons game tonight.

Jaylen Brown's stats vs Detroit Pistons

In Brown's absence, the Celtics will have to make up for his production on both ends of the floor. Considering the Detroit Pistons have continued to struggle this season, and will be missing two of their starters, Brown was expected to have a big game.

Throughout his career, he has played against the Pistons 21 times, averaging 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game. During that time, he has also notably posted a 14-7 record against the Pistons. Given the injury, it will be interesting to see when he returns to action.