The NBA-leading Boston Celtics will be relying on their depth when they head to Miami to play the Heat on Tuesday night, with multiple starters on the shelf for the contest.
The Celtics confirmed on Tuesday that none of Jaylen Brown, Malcolm Brogdon, Al Horford or Marcus Smart will play on the second half of a back-to-back in Southern Florida.
Boston had their nine-game winning streak snapped by the Orlando Magic in a 113-98 loss on Monday night, playing without Smart, who sprained his right ankle in a win against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.
The Celtics secured a come-from-behind victory over the Raps to win their ninth-consecutive game before Monday's loss, but saw Smart, Robert Williams III (knee) and Derrick White (thigh) leave with injuries.
Horford played thirty minutes on Monday night, but will sit on Tuesday as he deals with lower back stiffness. The team is already missing Brogdon due to personal reasons and will also be without Brown for the contest as he manages a right abductor injury. Brown put up a team-high 26 points on Monday.
The 2020 NBA All-Star is in the middle of an outstanding season, averaging 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals per contest in 43 games, while shooting 49.2 percent from the field.
On the bright side for Celtics fans, superstar Jayson Tatum is expected to play. The powerhouse squad has rolled its way to a 35-13 record, including 17-8 in 25 games away from home, but will certainly have its depth challenged over the next couple of weeks.
The team remains four games ahead of James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Heat are the sixth seed in the East with a 26-22 record in 48 games.
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