The Boston Celtics had a pretty rough go of it in their NBA playoff opener Saturday night.
The Celtics dropped Game 1 to the Hawks in Atlanta, falling 102-101 despite erasing a 19-point first-half deficit. The C’s also suffered a big loss from their roster, as guard Avery Bradley significantly strained his hamstring and likely won’t return for the remainder of the best-of-seven series.
Bradley officially has been ruled out of Game 2 and will undergo an MRI on his hamstring in Boston on Wednesday, according to the team.
But Bradley isn’t the only Celtic feeling the pain from Saturday. Big man Kelly Olynyk didn’t practice with the team Monday because of a sore right shoulder and is questionable for Game 2 on Tuesday, per head coach Brad Stevens.
Olynyk missed 12 games this season with a separated right shoulder, and he appeared to aggravate the injury Saturday.
“Got the impression (that Olynyk’s shoulder) got aggravated the other day and he’s been dealing with it for a while,” Stevens said, via ESPN.com’s Chris Forsberg. “… So he’s going to sit out (Monday) and we’ll see about (Tuesday) night.”
The Celtics certainly could use Olynyk — Boston’s best 3-point shooter this season — after shooting just 36 percent from the field in Game 1, and the 24-year-old is optimistic he’ll be ready to go in Game 2.
“During the game, you could definitely tell something wasn’t the same as it was for the start,” Olynyk said, via ESPN.com. “Hopefully just a little rest and recovery and get back out there.”
Let’s round up a few other notes out of the Celtics’ practice Monday:
— The injury bug also is biting forward Jae Crowder, who still is dealing with the effects of a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss eight games in March.
Here’s how Crowder assessed his level of health at Monday’s practice, via MassLive.com’s Jay King: “Seventy-five (percent) probably, 80 (percent). Somewhere in there. Not 100.”
— Some good news on the injury front: Guard Marcus Smart injured his left index finger Saturday, but he was at practice Monday and is expected to play, per King.
— Bradley might not return this postseason, but he could be rewarded for his regular-season efforts. The lockdown defender didn’t win NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors (not that he was expected to), but he wasn’t far behind:
Bradley’s teammates have campaigned for him to make the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, and this result could bode well for his chances.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
