The Boston Celtics will be seriously short-handed against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, with stars Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness) and Kristaps Porziņģis (right knee contusion) each ruled out.
Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Porziņģis had a "visible bruise on his right knee" and told reporters he suffered the injury after colliding with New York Knicks' big man Julius Randle during Monday night's 114-98 win.
Brown, 27, is averaging 22.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a steal per game for the Celtics, shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three. He's the team's second-leading scorer behind Jayson Tatum (28.4 PPG).
Porziņģis, 28, has adapted well to his new digs, averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game, shooting 56.5 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the arc.
He told reporters that his injury was "nothing too serious but it's a bit stiff."
"That's another thing, medical staff, they want to be smart about these things," he added. We have to play the long game and know not to force something now, that's not maybe as necessary. It's most important that towards the end of the season, that's when we need to be on and healthy and that's what they're making sure of. So I'm just, you know, following the orders."
The new-look Celtics have been rolling, starting 8-2 after the offseason acquisitions of Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday. There are serious depth concerns after the core group of Tatum, Brown, Porziņģis, Holiday, Derrick White and Al Horford, but it hasn't been a major factor to this point.
Wednesday's matchup with the Sixers (9-2) pits the two top teams in the Eastern Conference thus far against one another, and Boston's depth will be seriously tested without Brown and Porziņģis. The Celtics eliminated Philly in the second round of last year's playoffs, but both teams look dramatically different this season, with the Sixers trading James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Sixers will be short-handed themselves, with Kelly Oubre and Nic Batum out for the Sixers. Tobias Harris will play, while superstar center Joel Embiid is questionable.
