The Boston Celtics could be extremely shorthanded on Friday night when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. The Celtics have submitted an injury report that contains no less than four of their starters popping up on the list. Robert Williams has already been ruled out, while Jayson Tatum was also questionable with a left hip injury (he was later upgraded to available). At this point, Celtics fans want to know: Are Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart playing tonight vs. the Blazers?
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Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart injury status vs. Blazers
It was initially a mixed bag for the Celtics on the Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart front. Brown had already been declared as available to play despite still nursing a facial fracture. Smart, on the other hand, was listed as questionable to play due to a non-COVID illness. The good news for Celtics fans is that Smart was later upgraded to available just before tipoff.
In other injury news, Payton Pritchard and Danilo Gallinari still remain out for Boston. Malcolm Brogdon, however, is a late scratch with an Achilles issue.
The Blazers, on the other hand, have upgraded Damian Lillard as available to play, while Jerami Grant was ruled out. Justise Winslow also remains out for Portland.
Both the Celtics and the Blazers are vying for positioning in their respective conferences with the regular season winding down. Boston remains two games behind the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the East, while it's a much more dire situation for the Blazers out West. Right now, Portland is 2.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers, who currently occupy the 10th and final Play-In spot in the conference.
Now, with regard to the question of are Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart playing tonight vs. the Blazers, the answer is yes.
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