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The Boston Celtics are getting prepared to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at TD Garden. It looks as if the team could potentially be without a couple of important players for the showdown.
The Celtics have announced that Jaylen Brown will be out for tonight's game. This will be the eighth straight game Brown has missed, as the star wing has been attempting to recover from a hamstring issue. After Boston's impressive victory last night against the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston is preparing for a couple of favorable matchups before the team faces a challenging upcoming slate of games.
After sitting out last night's game against the Lakers, the Celtics have also listed big man Robert Williams as doubtful for today's game against the Thunder. Williams has been dealing with what the team is calling left knee tendinopathy, and he has missed Boston's last two games. Veteran big man Al Horford replaced Williams during those games and had an impressive 18-point performance last night in the Celtics win.
After being one of the more impressive parts of the Celtics rotation this year, guard Dennis Schroder has been listed as probable for the game against the Thunder. Schroder continues to play at a sensational level as his contribution to the Celtics this year has been outstanding. He finished last night's game with 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists for the Celtics. Schroder is currently dealing with a left ankle sprain, although he played through the injury last night and looked fine.
An Important Upcoming Stretch for the Boston Celtics
While the Boston Celtics are potentially going to sit a number of important pieces in their rotation today, the team is obviously trying to prepare for a crucial upcoming stretch of games. With teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Utah Jazz on the upcoming slate of games, it's clear that the team is being cautious to get all hands on deck for the matchups ahead.
As of now, the Celtics currently sit at .500 on the season with a 8-8 record. The team will face the Thunder tonight before welcoming the Houston Rockets to TD Garden on Monday night. From there, Boston will face a number of teams who have suddenly become serious contenders in the NBA. If Boston wants to start making its presence felt across the league, this is going to be a big part of their schedule to start the season. The opening month of the season is usually a popular time for some teams to struggle to find their groove, but the second month is crucial to start to make your purpose well known moving forward.
Last night's emotional win for the Celtics over the Los Angeles Lakers could become a stepping stone for this team moving forward. Next on the list will be taking care of business against a couple of upcoming "favorable" opponents for Boston. If the Celtics can string together a couple of wins, it could create some momentum for the team before a challenging upcoming home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
While the team could rest a number of key players tonight, it is clear that the Celtics are looking ahead to a number of tough opponents in the upcoming schedule. Boston will be eager to get players such as Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams back healthy, as the two have been important parts of the team's starting lineup this year.
Guess the Lakers players!
