Celtics won't have Marcus Smart or Malcolm Brogdon vs. Hawks
BOSTON -- The Celtics' depth will be tested when the team goes for its eighth straight win Wednesday night against the Hawks. Boston will be without both Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon for the midweek tilt in Atlanta.
Smart will be sidelined for the first time this season with right ankle inflammation. He was initially listed as probable on Tuesday's injury report, but was downgraded to out after Wednesday's morning shootaround.
It's a big blow for Boston, with Smart having an incredible start both as a passer -- averaging 7.1 assists per game -- and as a scorer, dropping 40 points over the last two games. We also won't get to see Smart do his defensive thing against a talented Atlanta backcourt made up of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Wednesday night will be the fourth straight game that Brogdon will miss due to hamstring tightness, which flared up a week ago in a win over the Pistons. He was questionable on Tuesday before being downgraded on Wednesday, but the Celtics are optimistic that their dynamo off the bench will return sometime during the team's three-game road trip.
After visiting the 9-5 Hawks on Wednesday night, the Celtics play at New Orleans on Friday and at Chicago on Monday.
With both Smart and Brogdon out of the mix against the Hawks, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard will be the only active point guards for Boston. (UPDATE: rookie J.D. Davison has also been recalled from Maine for Wednesday's game.) Both are coming off a strong game in Monday night's comeback win against the Thunder, as their full-court defense on OKC changed the momentum of the game in the second half.
White also scored 16 points, had five assists, and swiped four steals in his 33 minutes against Oklahoma City, while Pritchard had 10 points off 4-for-8 shooting in his 14 minutes of action. Both will need to step up again Wednesday night if the Celtics want to keep their winning streak going.
