Irving, Hayward, Horford Will Not Play In Celtics Preseason Tilt Vs. 76ers
BOSTON (CBS) -- Celtics fans hoping to get a preseason glimpse of the team's new star trio on Monday night are going to be disappointed.
Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford are all getting the night off as Boston welcomes the Philadelphia 76ers to the TD Garden for their third preseason tilt.
Celtics say Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, Kyrie Irving, and Marcus Morris are all OUT for tonight's game vs. Philadelphia. All are resting.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) October 9, 2017
It's an interesting decision given the limited opportunities to play together with the NBA's new shortened preseason, but with Boston's stars getting a night off to rest it will open the door for younger players to get the bulk of the minutes. Expect a lot of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (the rookie leads all C's players in minutes played this preseason), as well as depth players like Guershon Yabusele, Shane Larkin and Daniel Theis, who are looking to secure their roles on the team.
Celtics fans won't get to see Marcus Morris either, who is also getting another night off on Monday. The forward has not yet made his debut with the Celtics after being acquitted of aggravated assault charges last week.
Boston has just one game remaining in the preseason -- a visit to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night -- before tipping off the NBA's regular season in Cleveland on October 17.
Boston fans will get to see first-overall pick Markelle Fultz in action, as he's expected to play for Philadelphia on Monday. The Celtics traded the first pick to the 76ers prior to draft night, receiving the third-overall selection (used to draft Tatum) and a future pick in return. Fultz did not play when the Celtics and 76ers met for a preseason game in Philadelphia last Friday.
Tune in to Monday night's Celtics-76ers preseason game on 98.5 The Sports Hub -- the flagship station of the Boston Celtics. Coverage begins at 7pm!