Injuries play major role in Round 2 of NBA playoffs
Injuries are having a major impact on the NBA playoffs.
A tweak, turn or strain to this or that has sidelined or limited players from All-Stars to reserves — and that has influenced the early outcomes of Round 2.
After Jaylen Brown strained his right hamstring in Boston’s Game 7 win over Milwaukee, he all but begged the Celtics doctors and trainers to let him suit up for the start of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with Philadelphia.
Boston managed to win without him in its 117-101 victory over the sluggish 76ers in Game 1 Monday night, thanks to career nights by Al Horford, Terry Rozier and rookie Jayson Tatum.
But despite two days or rest and treatment, coach Brad Stevens said Brown is “very doubtful” for Game 2 on Thursday night.
“The bottom line is with this hamstring injury is it’s not terrible. Not a long-term thing. It shouldn’t linger if he comes back at the right time,” Stevens said.
If Brown can’t go for Game 2, it will again put stress on a Celtics rotation that just recently got back Marcus Smart from a right thumb surgery.
Fred VanVleet appeared to tweak his right shoulder in the second half of the Raptors’ 113-112 overtime loss to Cleveland in Game 1 of their series Tuesday night. He missed most of Toronto’s firstround series against Washington with shoulder problems, but the Raptors still turned to him with the game on the line against the Cavaliers. VanVleet missed what would have been a go-ahead 3-pointer in the waning moments of regulation and another in the extra frame.
“I wish I wasn’t hurt,” he said, “but I’m not looking for any excuses.”
Elsewhere in the league, the return of some players and absence of others has been just as noticeable.
Stephen Curry, who sat out all of Golden State’s first-round series win over San Antonio with a sprained ligament in his left knee, gave the Warriors a major lift in his return for Game 2 of the Golden State’s semifinal matchup with the Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Ricky Rubio missed the Jazz’s series-opening loss against Houston on Sunday with a left hamstring injury and is out indefinitely. The Rockets’ Luc Mbah a Moute returned in Game 1 from the dislocated right shoulder he sustained last month.
76ERS AT CELTICS
Celtics lead 1-0.
Need to know: The Celtics negated the athleticism of the 76ers in Game 1 by knocking down 17 3-pointers. Before the big scoring nights by Rozier (29 points), Tatum (28 points) and Horford (26 points), the Celtics hadn’t had three players score 25 or more points in a playoff game since 2009. Keep an eye on: 76ers C Joel Embiid. He had 31 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1, becoming the first Philadelphia player to register 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Allen Iverson in 2001.
Injury update: Smart said Wednesday that his thumb remained “a little sore” after Game 1 but added “I’m good to go” for Game 2. Pressure is on: The 76ers. They entered the series on six days of rest but were doomed by a slow start in Game 1. Being down 0-2 with its home court to defend is a lot to ask against a Celtics team playing with a lot of confidence.