The Boston Celtics will be without star point guard Kyrie Irving tonight against the Chicago Bulls due to left knee soreness, according to Brian Robb of The Boston Sports Journal. According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, if wouldn't be out of the question if Irving missed the following game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with this injury.
Despite now being a full two games behind the Eastern Conference leader Toronto Raptors, head coach Brad Stevens will prioritize going into the postseason with a healthy roster, rather than shooting desperately for a No. 1 seed.
The Celtics have a seven-game advantage over their rival Cleveland Cavaliers, one they are likely to keep throughout the last 18 games of the season, barring a shocking string of games in March.
Article Continues BelowIrving had been leading the charge for the Celtics, snapping out of a three-game skid with a four-game winning streak, which came to an end after running into the buzzsaw the Houston Rockets have been for the past month-and-change.
The man known as Uncle Drew faded during Saturday's bar-measuring game, scoring 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting from the field, mired in foul trouble going against the dynamic backcourt of Chris Paul and James Harden.
The Celtics will trot out Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier to divvy up the minutes in his absence, against a team like the Bulls, who shouldn't offer much resistance with the season already by the wayside.
Boston's third game of the week will be against the Indiana Pacers, one much more likely to see Irving back on the floor with a full week of rest.