Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving will miss Monday night's game against the Brooklyn Nets due to a quad injury, the team announced Monday morning. Teammate Marcus Smart will also miss the game due to an illness.

The Celtics have had a tough stretch in the middle of the season, most recently taking a loss to the Orlando Magic to go winless during their Florida road stint, having lost to the Miami Heat earlier in the weekend.

Boston saw a coming-out party for Gordon Hayward after a 35-point explosion against the Minnesota Timberwolves, only to watch him wallow in the last five games, going back into a hesitant cog with the ball in his hands.

Hayward scored 16, 12 and 14 points, respectively, in the three games following his season-high scoring night — but that didn't get better in the two losses, scoring six and eight points, respectively, against the Heat and Magic.

Irving chided coach Brad Stevens for his play-call decision against Orlando, as well as being visibly angry at Hayward for choosing to pass the ball to second-year forward Jayson Tatum down the stretch against the Magic, which ultimately cost the Celtics a potential game-winner against Orlando.

The Celtics are still sitting in the fifth seed in the East, but they have plenty of issues to correct over the back half of the season, including pulling off wins without their leading scorer and best perimeter defender on the floor.