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Tim BontempsESPN
BOSTON – Boston Celtics will have at least eight players available for Sunday night’s game against the Miami Heat after announcing nine players are out, including seven due to NBA safety and health protocols for the pandemic COVID-19.
While Kemba Walker (knee) and Romeo Langford (wrist) are injured, the other seven players who will be seated on Sunday: goalkeepers Javonte Green and Jaylen Brown, forwards Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye and Grant Williams and centers Robert Williams III and Tristan Thompson – They’re all out on Sunday, and it’s likely for some time beyond, due to league protocols.
That will leave Boston with only those eight players (guards Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague, Payton Pritchard, Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters, swing Aaron Nesmith and centers Daniel Theis and Tacko Fall) for Sunday’s game against the Heat and probably the on Tuesday. in Chicago against the Bulls and Wednesday’s game in Boston against the Orlando Magic.
Robert Williams III, Grant Williams and Thompson missed Friday’s game against the Washington Wizards after initially appearing in the injury report Thursday night, while Tatum, Brown, Ojeleye and Green appeared there Saturday before be excluded on Sunday.
The Celtics are now in a similar position to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday afternoon, when they only had seven healthy players, along with Mike Scott, who became active but was not going to play, for his game against the Denver Nuggets.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens will have a hard time posting a consistent roster when his eight available players include five (Smart, Teague, Pritchard, Edwards and Waters), who are less than 3 feet or less, in addition to five players. to either the first or second season of the NBA and the team’s two two-way players (Waters and Fall).
Meanwhile, Miami will miss guard Avery Bradley, who was also included in the safety and health protocol on Sunday afternoon and was ruled out for Sunday night’s game.