Inside The Celtics

Celtics Release Lengthy Injury Report Ahead of Friday's Game vs. Raptors

With two games left in the regular season, the Celtics have clinched the No. 2 seed in the East.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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Wednesday night at TD Garden, the Celtics improved to 55-25 with a 97-93 win against the Raptors. The combination of that and the Bucks beating the Bulls means Boston's locked into the two seed in the Eastern Conference.

After their victory vs. Toronto, the Celtics discussed what clinching the second seed means to them, including what head coach Joe Mazzulla's prioritizing.

As Boston prepares for its second-to-last game of the regular season, the defending Eastern Conference champions have released a lengthy injury report ahead of the second half of its miniseries against the Raptors.

The Celtics are listing Marcus Smart (left-side neck spasm), Derrick White (left ankle sprain), Malcolm Brogdon (low back pain), and Payton Pritchard (left heel pain) as questionable for Friday's matchup.

Even before clinching the second seed in the East, they were all but locked into that spot and had already started leaning into load management as opposed to making a final push for the top spot in the conference.

Boston was without Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams against the Sixers on Tuesday, and Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Smart didn't play vs. the Raptors the next night.

Regarding Smart's left-side neck spasm, after registering 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists in 30 minutes in Tuesday's 103-101 loss in Philadelphia, he shared that he was playing with a pinched nerve.

"(I) can barely turn my head to the left, and it’s just stinging. My lower left arm is going numb here and there, so just trying to play through it and be out there for my team. But it definitely hurts. So, we’ll figure out what’s going on."

Tip-off between the Celtics and Raptors Friday night is at 7:30 p.m. EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game -- including updates on the status of those listed on the injury report -- before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown Opens Up About His Relationship with Marcus Smart

Jaylen Brown Shares What Winning the Red Auerbach Award Means to Him: 'I've Put My Everything Into This Team, I've Put My Everything Into This City'

Celtics Discuss Malcolm Brogdon's Sixth Man of the Year Candidacy

Joe Mazzulla Reacts to the Celtics Clinching the Two Seed in the East

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Raptors: Boston's Defense Propels Hosts to Victory in Low-Scoring Affair

Jaylen Brown on His Relationship with Jayson Tatum: 'We’re a Part of Each Other’s Destiny'

[Film Room] What the Celtics Did to Slow Down Giannis Antetokounmpo in Blowout vs. Bucks

The Celtics are Proud of Their Growth, Including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's Maturation: 'I think We're a Better Team'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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