The Boston Celtics will take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night in Game 2 of the series, and there seems to be a good chance that the Celtics will be short-handed.
Head coach Brad Stevens told Chris Forsberg of ESPN that Jaylen Brown wasn't able to go through practice on Wednesday and he isn't sure if he will be able to go through the shootaround. If he isn't able to go he will be held out, but even if he is able to participate in the shootaround he will still be a game-time decision.
Brown suffered a strained right hamstring during Game 7 of their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks and hasn't been able to play since.
Brown told reporters after Game 1 that he would be back for Game 2 but with Stevens comments this morning so that sounds less and less likely.
Even if he is able to go Stevens said that Brown will come off the bench and he will use the same starting five that led the Celtics to a 117-101 win in Game 1.
Brad Stevens said he'll stick with same staring 5 in Game 2 regardless of whether Jaylen Brown plays or not. pic.twitter.com/gIWjbjSXwO
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) May 3, 2018
The starting five in the first game was Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Aron Baynes. The Celtics basically went eight deep in their rotation in that game, and if Brown isn't able to go, that would probably be the case again on Thursday night.
The Celtics were able to survive without Brown in Game 1, but it will be a much harder test in Game 2. The 76ers missed a lot of shots they are used to making and the Celtics are going to need to play even better if they want to go back to Philadelphia with a 2-0 series lead.
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