Jaylen Brown's All-NBA Candidacy Gets Boost From Injury News

Celtics star poised to earn first-team honors as key rivals miss games due to injuries.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:00am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements and skills of Boston Celtics player Jaylen Brown, with sharp, overlapping planes of green and white colors representing his basketball prowess.Jaylen Brown's All-NBA candidacy gets a boost as injuries sideline key rivals, setting the stage for the Celtics star to earn his first first-team selection.Denver Today

Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is having an outstanding season, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists. With injuries sidelining top NBA players like Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham, Brown's chances of earning his first-ever All-NBA First Team selection have improved significantly.

Why it matters

Making the All-NBA First Team is a prestigious honor that can impact a player's earning potential and solidify their standing as one of the league's elite. Brown's breakout campaign has him in the running, and the recent injury news to some of his top competitors has boosted his chances.

The details

Brown is averaging 28.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game for the 51-win Celtics, who are close to clinching the second seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the 65-game qualification rule for postseason awards has complicated the All-NBA selection process, with stars like Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama also on the cusp of missing the threshold due to injuries and load management.

  • Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was ruled out Thursday with a knee injury and illness, making him ineligible for the 65-game award qualification.
  • Pistons forward Cade Cunningham was also ruled out for another week due to a collapsed lung, jeopardizing his chances of meeting the 65-game requirement.

The players

Jaylen Brown

A forward for the Boston Celtics who is having a career-best season, averaging 28.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

Anthony Edwards

A superstar guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves who was ruled out Thursday with a knee injury and illness, making him ineligible for postseason awards.

Cade Cunningham

A rising star forward for the Detroit Pistons who was recently reevaluated and ruled out for another week due to a collapsed lung, jeopardizing his chances of meeting the 65-game award qualification.

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What they’re saying

“It's funny because people, once again, they move the bar. When it first became a 65-game rule, everyone was in support of it because, at the time, people was talking about guys who were … load managing.”

— Jaylen Brown

“I generally think it's worked. That, along with the player participation policy, there is not nearly as much discussion about load management as there was, in part because the teams and players have responded. You see them on the floor now.”

— Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner

What’s next

The NBA and Players Association could revisit the 65-game qualification rule after the season, potentially lowering the threshold to 62 or 60 games, if top players continue to miss out on awards due to injuries or load management.

The takeaway

Jaylen Brown's standout season has him poised to earn his first All-NBA First Team selection, with key injuries to rivals like Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham boosting his chances. However, the league's 65-game qualification rule has complicated the awards process, leading to calls for potential changes to the policy.