Jaylen Brown Downgraded to Doubtful: Celtics Star Likely Sidelined Friday

Jaylen Brown is officially downgraded to doubtful for Friday night with a knee issue, which means it is time to adjust your weekend expectations.

Underdog NBA reported the downgrade on Friday evening, effectively ruling out the star wing just as the Boston Celtics are trying to build on their 3-1 start to the season.

"Jaylen Brown (knee) downgraded to doubtful Friday. - @UnderdogNBA"

Brown has been a walking bucket, averaging 24.7 points per game over the last three years. Replacing that kind of production is not something you just patch up with a couple of bench guys playing harder.

A doubtful tag in the modern NBA is basically a polite way of saying a guy is already in sweatpants. You have a better chance of hitting a half-court shot blindfolded than seeing a doubtful player suddenly sprint out of the tunnel for tip-off.

For anyone holding tickets or setting fantasy lineups, this shifts the entire offensive burden onto Jayson Tatum. Tatum is already putting up 28.0 points and 8.0 assists a night, so expect his usage rate against the Chicago Bulls to look like a guy playing NBA 2K on rookie mode.

The Celtics host the Bulls at 7:30 PM ET, and Boston will have to figure out their rotation on the fly. Keep an eye on the official inactive list, but you should probably assume Brown is getting the night off to rest that knee for the long haul.