The Boston Celtics will be without their star player Kyrie Irving tonight when they face the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN's Chris Forsberg. Irving had been nursing some shoulder soreness and his coach, Brad Stevens, is hopeful to have him back the next day, though he did not give a timeline for his return to action. Marcus Smart will start in his absence, according to Brian Robb of The Boston Sports Journal.

“He’s been evaluated by our docs and everything else and don’t feel like it’s a long-term issue but he is sore and has been and so hopefully he can get to feeling better sooner rather than later,” said Stevens.

Irving was coming off three straight 20-plus-point games before getting bit by the injury bug. In his first season with the Celtics, he is averaging 24.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game — leading his team to first place in the Eastern Conference.

Uncle Drew is one of the top vote-getters in the second return of the All-Star ballot, nearly assuring his place as a starter in this new format of the mid-February festivities.

The Celtics are coming off a tough loss to the New Orleans Pelicans after winning seven straight coming into that game. Now they will have their hands full against a 20-20 Sixers team that has lost all three encounters with this Boston team, and hopeful to get one game back without the Celtics' main star suiting up today.

Philly will be without sharpshooting J.J. Redick and big man Richaun Holmes, who is day-to-day with gastroenteritis.