The Celtics may very well be with out a number of key gamers after they face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday evening. Jaylen Brown (left calf tightness), Derrick White (proper knee contusion) and Neemias Queta (proper thumb sprain).
The Celtics additionally proceed to be with out veteran huge man Nikola Vucevic, who has been sidelined since March sixth, when he fractured his proper ring finger. Vucevic is anticipated to be re-evaluated within the coming days and in the end return earlier than postseason motion.
Jayson Tatum continues to be out there for Boston, and Friday will mark his three-week return from an Achilles damage suffered final Could. Up to now this season, he’s averaging 19.1 factors, 9.2 rebounds, and three.7 assists per recreation. Albeit in a restricted pattern, it’s been one of the best rebounding season of his profession.
If Brown, White, and Queta are out, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza will all doubtless see elevated minutes. Joe Mazzulla has additionally turned to Ron Harper Jr. when the crew has been down key gamers. Jordan Walsh might additionally see a possibility.
How the Celtics, Hawks stack up
The Celtics and Hawks have confronted off twice this season, with every crew coming away with one win. The Celtics blew out the Hawks 132-106 on January seventeenth, and the Hawks got here away with a 117-106 bounce-back on January twenty eighth.
And, each groups have been among the many NBA’s greatest because the All-Star break; the Hawks are 15-2, and the Celtics are 13-5.
On the season, the Celtics have been the East’s second-best crew with a 48-24 report, whereas the Hawks have been the convention’s fifth-best crew with a 41-32 report.
The Hawks have been led by Jalen Johnson, who was named an All-Star for the primary time in his profession and is averaging 22.8 factors, 10.3 rebounds, and eight.1 assists per recreation (all team-highs). Nickeil Alexander-Walker has additionally been huge for Atlanta; he’s averaging 20.4 factors, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per recreation in his first season in Atlanta.
And, CJ McCollum has been very impactful, tallying 19.3 factors and eight.9 assists per evening since arriving in Atlanta within the commerce that despatched Trae Younger to the Washington Wizards.
The sport has seeding implications: the Celtics look to stave off the Knicks, who’re simply half a recreation behind them within the standings, whereas the Hawks look to keep away from the play-in (they at the moment have a one-game benefit over the Philadelphia 76ers).
After this recreation, the Celtics will face the Hawks once more on Monday in Atlanta for one remaining match-up.
However first — Celtics-Hawks will tip off at 7:30pm ET on Friday at TD Backyard.
