As if taking on the team with the NBA’s best record wasn’t a tall enough task, the Boston Celtics will have to do so short-handed.
Center Kelly Olynyk and guard Marcus Smart both have been ruled out for Boston’s Sunday night matchup with the Golden State Warriors.
Smart left the Celtics upon learning Saturday of a death in his family, the team announced. He is expected to be available Monday night when the Celtics visit the Utah Jazz.
Olynyk, meanwhile, will be sidelined for quite a bit longer. The Celtics sent the second-year big man home after he sprained his ankle in Thursday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers, and head coach Brad Stevens told reporters Friday in Denver that Olynyk likely will be out until next month’s All-Star break at the earliest.
UPDATE (6:35 p.m.): Stevens gave another update on Olynyk’s condition ahead of Sunday’s game.
[tweet https://twitter.com/celtics/status/559494357246414848 align=’center’]
Brandon Bass has seen an uptick in playing time in Olynyk’s absence (he played a season-high 35 minutes in Friday’s win over the Nuggets), and with Smart also sidelined, newly acquired forward Shavlik Randolph could make his season debut for the Celtics against the Warriors.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
