Celtics insert Jaylen Brown back into starting lineup for Game 5 vs. Sixers

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BOSTON — As expected, the Celtics made a change to their starting lineup for Game 5 to counter the Sixers’ Game 4 adjustment of starting T.J. McConnell.

Jaylen Brown is back in while Marcus Smart goes to the bench. Brown had started all 70 regular-season games in which he played before suffering a hamstring injury in the first round of the playoffs. Brown missed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and was in the second unit for Games 2, 3 and 4. 

The insertion of Brown in the starting lineup gives the Celtics extra athleticism and length to counter the Sixers, including McConnell, who scored 19 points in a standout Game 4 performance to keep the series going. The Celtics lead, 3-1. 

Brett Brown anticipated Brad Stevens would switch his starters. However, he did not get caught up in game planning for the Celtics’ possible moves.

“How they choose to make adjustments, toggle with lineups, I feel equipped to handle whatever we see,” Brown said Tuesday. “To predict they’re going to come up with some clever way to exploit T.J. just because we played him yesterday, that isn’t on my mind.”

Robert Covington will come off the bench for the Sixers. 

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