SAN FRANCISCOThe Leandro Barbosa reunion will have to wait at least one more game.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Barbosa was expected to arrive in town today, but it won't be in time for him to suit up for tonight's game against Golden State.
Barbosa has missed the last three games for the C's while attending to a personal matter.
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The plan now is to have him available for the C's final West coast game at Sacramento on Sunday.
"We tried to get him for (tonight's game), but he won't make it," Rivers said.
His return can not come soon enough for a Celtics team that could use a spark right now. They come into tonight's game having lost five of their last seven which includes a 106-77 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.
That setback has the C's (14-14) now on the verge of slipping below .500 for the first time since Nov. 9.
Making matters worst is that they're playing a Golden State team that has emerged as one of the unexpected powers out West this season.
They come in with a 20-10 record, have a pair of up-and-coming players delivering on an all-star level (David Lee and Stephon Curry) and have been extremely tough to beat in their building.
"They're really good," Rivers said. "They play big and small. They're extremely deep."
The C's will be a bit deeper on Sunday at Sacramento when, if as expected, Barbosa becomes available to play.
Boston certainly could have used him against Golden State, a team that Barbosa has averaged 14.2 points against throughout his NBA career.
"We'll go with what we have," said C's guard Jason Terry. "Of course you want all your guys to be able to play, but hey, we have to make due with what we have and just keep grinding, keep trying to find ways to win games because in the end, that's really what all this is about; figuring out how to win games."