Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon out for Celtics vs. Magic
BOSTON -- The Celtics will be a little thin in the backcourt Monday night when they visit the Magic in Orlando. Guards Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon have both been ruled out for the contest.
Smart's absence should come as no surprise after he suffered a pretty nasty right ankle sprain during Saturday night's win over the Raptors in Toronto. X-rays were negative after the game and Smart is considered day-to-day, but he'll likely miss a few games with the injury.
Brogdon will miss the game for "personal reasons," according to Sunday night's injury report. This will be the seventh game that the veteran has missed this season, though he may be back for Tuesday night's road tilt against the Heat in Miami.
With both Smart and Brogdon out, Derrick White will likely get the start at point guard with Payton Pritchard in line for some big minutes off the bench. Pritchard scored 12 points in the fourth quarter Saturday in Toronto, stepping up for Boston after Smart went down.
Celtics big man Robert Williams was also on Sunday's injury report, but is questionable due to "left knee injury management." Williams left Saturday's game because of a left knee hyperextension and was ruled out at halftime. But interim head coach Joe Mazzulla said Saturday that Williams' injury wasn't serious, and his status for Monday would indicate just that.
While Boston will be down two important players, the Celtics will have their top scorer back in Jayson Tatum, who sat out Saturday's win with left wrist soreness.
The Celtics are atop the NBA standings at 35-12, but lost two of their three previous matchups with the 17-29 Magic this season. The C's dropped both meetings with the Magic in Boston, losing back-to-back home games in mid-December.
