The Celtics and Suns both will be missing All-Stars when they square off Tuesday night at the Mortgage Matchup Center.
Boston ruled out Jaylen Brown (right knee contusion) for the first end of its Western Conference back-to-back. Brown, an All-Star starter who scored a game-high 32 points in Sunday’s 111-89 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, initially was listed as questionable.
Though Brown is enjoying a career year as Boston’s No. 1 option (29.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists per game), the Celtics have held up well without him this season. They’re 4-1 in games Brown missed, most recently routing the Houston Rockets 114-93 on Feb. 4.
Jayson Tatum also will not play Tuesday as he continues his recovery from Achilles surgery.
Celtics rookies Amari Williams and Max Shulga are on G League assignments. Williams is listed as doubtful against the Suns; Shulga is out.
Phoenix ruled five players out, including five-time All-Star guard Devin Booker, who is nursing a hip strain, and Dillon Brooks, who fractured his left hand on Saturday. Cole Anthony, Haywood Highsmith and Jordan Goodwin also will not play against the Celtics, and Grayson Allen (knee/ankle) was listed as questionable. Booker, Brooks and Allen are Phoenix’s top three leading scorers.
The Celtics, who are 37-19 this season and 8-1 in their last nine games, will close out their four-game West Coast swing Wednesday night in Denver.