The Celtics will once again be without Nikola Vucevic when they face the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday evening. Vucevic, who underwent surgery on his fractured ring finger on Saturday morning, is expected to be re-evaluated in the next 3-4 weeks, the Celtics announced.
In addition, Payton Pritchard is questionable to play with a neck spasm.
But, there’s undeniable good news: Jayson Tatum returns for a third consecutive game after making his season debut on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks and lacing up on Sunday in Cleveland. Tatum is averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 27 minutes, through two games.
How the Celtics, Spurs stack up
The Celtics are 43-21, and winner of 8 of their last 10 games. They hold the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and currently trail the Detroit Pistons by 2.5 games for the top seed.
The Spurs are 47-17, and winners of 9 of their last 10 games. They also hold the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but trail the Oklahoma City Thunder by 2.5 games.
The Celtics have the NBA’s second-best net rating at +8.2; the Spurs have the league’s third-best net rating at +7.2. The Celtics have the league’s second-best offense, while the Spurs have the league’s 5th-best offense. The Spurs have the NBA’s third-best defense; the Celtics have the NBA’s fifth-best defense.
Both teams have faced off once this season, with the Spurs coming away with a 100-95 victory in January at TD Garden.
Victor Wembenyama and De’Aaron Fox power the Spurs
This season, the Spurs have been led by MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Victor Wembenyama, who is averaging 23.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game.
Fellow All-Star selection Da’Aaron Fox is averaging 18.9 points and 6.3 assists, while reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle is averaging 16.4 points and 6.9 assists per game. Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper, and Harrison Barnes have also all been key pieces.
The Celtics are set to face the Spurs on Tuesday at 8pm ET.