Sources: Celts' Brown has partial meniscus tear

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown finished the season with a partially torn right meniscus, sources told ESPN.

Brown had been playing in pain during the last month of the regular season and the playoffs, which concluded with Friday's Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

He will be evaluated this week to determine if surgery is needed, sources said.

ESPN previously reported that Brown had received pain injections in his knee. Those injections began in March, sources said.

Brown missed the Celtics' final three regular-season games with the injury but was able to modify his game and play through pain to be available for the playoffs, in which he averaged 22.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in 36.5 minutes per game.

After Friday's loss in New York, Brown noted that he had been dealing with some physical issues.

"I don't make excuses," he told reporters. "Obviously, it's tough the way we went out like tonight, but the way we finished the year, personally, the way I finished the year, persevering through some physical stuff that I was battling through, I'm proud of our group."

The Celtics lost star forward Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles tendon in Game 4. Center Kristaps Porzingis also was hampered by the lingering effects of an illness the past few months.