Kemba Walker Out For Friday's Celtics-Hawks Game With Flu
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Celtics may want to send a biohazard team through the TD Garden and their practice facilities. Another star player is set to miss a game with an illness Friday night.
This time it will be point guard Kemba Walker, who will miss Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks with the flu. It will be just the second game Walker has missed this season.
Boston will get Jaylen Brown back Friday night, after he missed Tuesday's win over the Charlotte Hornets with a sinus infection. And Marcus Smart is slowly getting back to his usual self after he missed eight games with a nasty double eye infection. Friday night will be Smart's third game back from his eye issues.
The Celtics just can't seem to get their starting lineup all healthy at once this season, but they're becoming the "Hospital Celtics" again at the right time. After hosting the 7-27 Hawks on Friday night, they'll visit the 13-22 Chicago Bills on Saturday.
With Walker out, Boston has recalled guard Tremont Waters from Maine. The rookie has played in 15 games for the Red Claws in the G League, averaging 20.4 points, 7.7 assists and 2.3 steals per contest. In his three games with the Celtics, Waters has averaged a little over nine minutes of playing time, putting in 4.7 points off 42 percent shooting. His first NBA game was his best, with Waters scoring seven points to go with his three assists and two rebounds in a Boston win over the Kings on Nov. 25.
