Celtics vs. Hornets Monday NBA injury report, odds, spread: Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier game-time decisions

It's the second of a back-to-back for both the Celtics and Hornets from Charlotte on Monday night and a key player on each side is listed as a game-time decision: Boston All-Star guard Jaylen Brown and Charlotte guard Terry Rozier. Currently, the C's are 1-point favorites at Caesars Sportsbook, but that could flip to the Hornets as favorites if Brown sits. Click here for model picks. 

Neither played Sunday. Boston got its first win of the season, prevailing 107-97 at a horrible Houston Rockets team to avoid its first 0-3 start since the 2013-14 season. Jayson Tatum had 31 points and nine rebounds and Dennis Schroder, who started for Brown, had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. Al Horford notched his second straight double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He missed the season opener in COVID protocols.

Brown is dealing with some knee soreness, perhaps not a surprise because he was in COVID isolation on the eve of the season and then played 46 minutes in the opener, scoring 46 points in a loss to the Knicks. Brown also played in Friday's loss to Toronto and had just nine points on 3-for-13 shooting before getting Sunday off. Could be that the Celtics figured they could beat Houston regardless and wanted him rested for this game.

Charlotte is 3-0 following a 111-95 upset win at Brooklyn on Sunday behind 32 points and nine rebounds from Miles Bridges and 18 points, six rebounds and five assists from LaMelo Ball. Rozier missed it because of a sprained ankle. He also missed the season opener but played last Friday in Cleveland and had six points in 23 minutes. Last year, Rozier, the former Celtic, averaged 20.4 points for the Hornets.

It sounds as if Brown has a better chance of playing than Rozier does. Boston won two of three vs. the Hornets last year but lost the one game in Charlotte. Brown averaged 25.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the series and Rozier 19.3 points and 7.3 assists. 

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