This Is Really Bad 
Boston Celtics To Face Serious Issues As They Prepare To Play Against INDIANA PACERS
UPDATE: According to the NBA’s official injury report, Oscar Tshiebwe, Aaron Nesmith, Isaiah Jackson, and Kendall Brown are all available.
Isaiah Wong and Andrew Nembhard are no longer eligible.
The Boston Celtics will visit the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Both teams have released their injury reports for the match (updated as of 3:30 Eastern Time).
Drew Peterson, JD Davison, and Jordan Walsh are all out for the Celtics.
Bruce Brown will be out of the Pacers’ lineup in the interim.
Isaiah Jackson, Isaiah Wong, Oscar Tshiebwe, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and Kendall Brown are all dubious.
READ NEXT:
Boston Celtics: Price is right for sharpshooter playing for Danny Ainge’s franchise
The Boston Celtics’ price is right for a sharpshooter currently playing for the franchise Danny Ainge is overseeing as President.
As MassLive’s Brian Robb writes of the possibility of the Boston Celtics acquiring Utah Jazz sharpshooter Simone Fontecchio, the price is right — the Italian sharpshooter’s $3.2 salary fits snuggly into the C’s $6.2 million Grant Williams TPE — but the threat of Danny Ainge playing hardball with his former protege, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, is present.
“Fontecchio certainly fills the need for another big wing that could shoot,” Robb prefaced in an answer to a Celtics Mailbag reader’s question about Fontecchio or Precious Achiuwa as targets before saying, “The price is also right with his salary being $3.2 million. Would Danny Ainge help out the Celtics or try to squeeze a bounty of second-round picks out for a depth piece? Find out in the next few weeks!”
Achiuwa was written off as a potential pursuit by Robb due to the New York Knicks’ recent acquisition of the Nigerian big man.
“Achiuwa would have been an intriguing name as a big but he’s off the board now it feels like with the Knicks,” Robb prefaced before saying, “They like him as a backup center and have that need with Mitchell Robinson out for the year.”
Boston Celtics trade target compared to 20 PPG scorer before peak
SLC Dunk’s Clint Nielson sees a little bit of pre-peak Bojan Bogdanovic in Fontecchio’s game, though he did list enough caveats not to get overly excited.
“It is unfair to expect Fontecchio to become as good as Bogey,” Nielson prefaced before saying, “Simone needs to develop a good driving and post-game to become a well-rounded scorer like Bojan is.
Fontecchio joined the NBA two years older than Bogdanovic was when he joined. With those realistic and cautious observations made, it is worth monitoring how Fontecchio is helping the team win as a starter and doing so with a playstyle similar to Bogdanovic before his peak.”
Even having someone comparable to Bogdanovic at all making under $4 million is a proposition Stevens needs to give serious thought to. Though Sam Hauser is already playing as well as one could hope in a reserve wing role, you can never have too much shooting.
Swap out Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk for Fontecchio and the Cs will be significantly improved. How much that costs could be one of the hundreds of hypotheticals the front office must ponder over the next month.
Celtics Star Questionable for Monday’s Game vs. Pacers
Saturday night, the Boston Celtics, who sit atop the NBA standings, improved to 28-7 with a 118-101 win over the Indiana Pacers.
After holding the latter to their lowest scoring output this season, the C’s return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse Monday night for the second half of this two-tilt mini-series.
Jayson Tatum generated a game-high 38 points, including 15 in the final frame in the victory. The soon-to-be five-time All-Star knocked down 14/23 field goal attempts, burying 8/13 shots from beyond the arc. He paired that production with 14 rebounds, the most in the matchup, and six assists.
But the three-time All-NBA selection may not suit up for Monday’s contest. Boston lists him on its injury report as questionable due to left ankle sprain management.
Kristaps Porzingis, who got inadvertently poked in the right eye by Aaron Nesmith, resulting in scratches on his outer eyelid and quickly exiting Saturday’s win after having droplets injected and returning to the game, is also questionable due to right eye irritation.
Sam Hauser, who registered five points and four rebounds off the bench in last night’s victory, is questionable due to right shoulder impingement.
Further Reading
Oshae Brissett Making Strong Case to Fill Celtics’ Search for Big Wing
Driven by Championship Pursuit, Jayson Tatum Unfazed by Sacrifice, Less Fanfare: ‘Don’t Look for That Praise’
Here’s What Stood Out as Celtics Stellar Final Frame Snaps Pacers’ Win Streak
Celtics Maximization Fueled by Their Maturation: ‘Not Taking Days for Granted’
Brad Stevens Shares What Celtics Are Looking to Add and How He Hopes to Do So
Brad Stevens Says Celtics Have ‘Green Light’ to Add to Payroll, But Boston Still Restricted
Derrick White Opens Up About Journey from Uncertainty He Belonged in the NBA to an All-Star Caliber Guard
Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: ‘Earn Everybody’s Trust’
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics’ Offense: ‘Balance of Pace and Execution’
Leave a Reply