After a rout of the 76ers, the Celtics have dropped two straight. If they’re going to get on track against an improving Pacers team tonight, they’ll have to do it shorthanded.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN Northeast:Second-year guard Marcus Smart will miss tonight’s game against the Indiana Pacers with a sprained left big toe, according to team officials.
There’s also a chance that Avery Bradley (hand) will not play, but a team source indicated that Bradley is more likely to play than not.
The Celtics could insert Isaiah Thomas or Evan Turner into the starting lineup – or both if Smart and Bradley misses the game. But if it’s just Smart, my bet is Turner. That way, Brad Stevens can keep Thomas in the coach’s desired sixth man role.
Either way, expect Thomas to shoulder most of the load. He has led a second unit that even Bradley admits owns the starters right now.