The Celtics will be facing another very shorthanded squad on Thursday night at TD Garden when the Philadelphia 76ers come to town for the second half of a back-to-back set. Philadelphia has seven players in total listed on their injury report among 15 roster player including five that have already been ruled out.
All-Star Tyrese Maxey (back sprain) will miss his second straight game while Kyle Lowry (hip) and Eric Gordon (wrist surgery) remain out for lengthy stretches. Joel Embiid (knee) and Jared McCain (knee) have both already been ruled out for the season.
Paul George (groin) and Justin Edwards (ankle) are both listed as questionable for them matchup for a reeling Sixers squad that has lost 11 of their last 12 games overall.
The losing for the Sixers doesn’t quite come as a surprise as the team has incentive to drop down the lottery standings in order to increase their odds of retaining their top-6 protected first round pick. Otherwise, that pick will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder in June. Philadelphia currently sits in a tie with the Brooklyn Nets for the sixth worst record in the NBA.
Those incentivized struggles are likely part of the season why the Celtics have such a long injury report themselves for Thursday night on the second end of a back-to-back.
Jaylen Brown (right knee), Jrue Holiday (mallet finger), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Al Horford (toe) have all been ruled out for the matchup. Jayson Tatum (shoulder impingement) and Sam Hauser (ankle sprain) are both questionable. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard were removed from the injury report entirely coming off their career nights in Wednesday’s win.
The shorthanded Celtics should still be able to handle a Sixers squad assuming Tatum is back in the lineup after a one-game absence. With Boston down at least three starters, look for heavier minutes down Joe Mazzulla’s bench with Neemias Queta, Torrey Craig and Jordan Walsh all likely to see an increase in playing time especially if Hauser or Tatum is out.
The Celtics tip off against the 76ers in a nationally televised TNT matchup at 7:30 on Thursday night.
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