Celtics Will Be Without Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris Wednesday Night
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics with be shorthanded Wednesday night when they visit Miami. The Heat will be even more undermanned.
Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris won't be playing for Boston on Wednesday evening as both are dealing with lingering ailments. Brown missed Monday's game against Miami in Boston with back spasms, and will miss his second straight contest after his back flared up at the team hotel, according to the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy.
Morris, meanwhile, told reporters in Florida that he won't be playing due to knee soreness, though he's terming his absence as "a precaution." The veteran forward was just 3-for-11 in Monday night's win over Miami in Boston, scoring only eight points in the C's victory, and has struggled mightily in the second half of the season.
Meanwhile, the Heat are in even worse shape as they cling to their postseason lives. They may be without their leading scorer, Josh Richardson, for a fourth straight game as he deals with a left heel bruise. Justise Winslow has missed the last nine games with a right thigh bruise and will likely miss his 10th on Wednesday, while Rodney McGruder is also likely out with left knee soreness. All three are listed as questionable for the game.
Add in Derrick Jones Jr., who has been ruled out with a bone bruise, and the Heat may have just 11 players on Wednesday night, which doesn't bode well for a team that needs to win. Miami is just a half-game ahead of the Orlando Magic for the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference, with matchups against the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers on the horizon. The Magic host the Knicks on Wednesday.
The Celtics, meanwhile, are tied with the Pacers for the four-seed in the East. Boston currently owns the tie-breaker with Indy, their likely first-round opponent when the playoffs arrive next weekend. The Pacers visit the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, before hosting the Celtics on Friday in a matchup that will likely determine who snags home-court advantage in the first round.
