The Boston Celtics have nothing to gain and everything to lose in their Friday night matchup with the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden.
That’s why they’re playing it extremely safe on the injury front.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla announced Friday that Marcus Smart (left-side neck spasms) and Malcolm Brogdon (low-back pain) would join Jaylen Brown (right finger laceration) on the bench for Boston’s penultimate game of the season.
The Celtics, of course, are locked into the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, meaning a win or loss would not have an effect on their postseason placement.
Brown will miss the remainder of the regular season after slicing his hand open on a glass vase. The cut required five stitches, according to the man himself.
Smart will miss his second straight game with neck spasms. Though it isn’t an injury that is expected to sideline Smart for the postseason, Mazzulla told reporters it looks like it’s still hurting the 29-year-old despite him getting treatment, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Low on guards, the Celtics will see Payton Pritchard return to the lineup after missing a series of games with a heel injury. Derrick White also will play, allowing him to keep his status as one of nine NBA players to play in all of their team’s games this season.
Boston and Toronto are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET from TD Garden.
