The Celtics-Heat injury report is chaotic
BOSTON -- If you've been able to follow along with every injury update during the Eastern Conference finals, then congratulations are in order. The series has had more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan screenplay ... and they've only played three games.
It's no surprise, then, that as the Boston Celtics prepare to host the Miami Heat for Game 4, the injury report for both teams looks like a beautiful, chaotic mess.
As of Monday morning, the Celtics' injury report looks like this:
Sam Hauser (shoulder) - OUT
Marcus Smart (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Jayson Tatum (nerve impingement) - PROBABLE
Robert Williams (knee soreness) - QUESTIONABLE
Smart has been on the injury report with his foot sprain, but now sits on the report with a new ankle sprain, after he rolled his ankle rather significantly in Saturday night's Game 3. Williams missed that game with knee soreness, so his status figures to be the most up in the air. Tatum is a new addition after he felt some brief pain in his shoulder late in Saturday's loss, but by all accounts, he should be fine.
The Heat's injury report is a lot busier:
Jimmy Butler (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
Kyle Lowry (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
Max Strus (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
Gabe Vincent (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
P.J. Tucker (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
Tyler Herro (groin) - QUESTIONABLE
All eyes will be on Butler, who did not return to Game 3 after halftime due to that knee issue. But reports thus far have indicated that the injury was not major and that he should be available to play. Lowry returned to the floor in Game 3 after missing the previous four games with his hamstring issue, and he looked good in his 29 minutes of action. Provided he didn't suffer any new damage, he'll likely be back on the floor for Game 4.
Tucker and Strus being on the report makes it four of five Heat starters being listed as questionable, and Vinent and Herro are two of the Heat's top three bench players.
Even if all of those players can go, they clearly won't be at 100 percent. That's an overriding theme of this series for both teams.
And, again -- they've only played three games.
UPDATE: Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra announced that Tyler Herro will not play in Game 4. Jimmy Butler will warm up, and the team expects him to play.