The Boston Celtics left "The Sunshine State" with a 111-107 win over the Orlando Magic. Now, they're aiming to climb back to .500. To improve to 6-6 on the young season, they'll have to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in "The City of Brotherly Love" for the second time in as many tries.
Boston earned an NBA Cup victory by surviving a 109-108 thriller at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Halloween. That evened their season series after the Sixers earned a one-point win of their own against the Celtics on opening night at TD Garden.
As the two rivals prepare for Round 3, the visitors have added Sam Hauser to their injury report. The six-foot-eight sharpshooter is dealing with a right wrist sprain. Fortunately, they list him as probable.
The only other player on Boston's injury report is Jayson Tatum, as he rehabs from a torn Achilles tendon.
76ers slide
As for the hosts of Tuesday's tilt, Philadelphia is starting to regress. The Sixers started the season in first place in the Eastern Conference. However, after a 4-0 start, they're now 6-4 and have dropped three of their last four contests.
The 76ers' stumble has slid them from atop the East to seventh in the conference standings. The Celtics are in tenth, occupying the final spot in the play-in tournament. Of course, it's way too early to be monitoring the standings.
Most recently, Philadelphia lost 111-108 in a tightly contested matchup on its home floor against the Detroit Pistons. Star center Joel Embiid did not play in that game. The former league MVP is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 blocks, and nearly a steal per game to start the season. He has appeared in six tilts, logging 23.3 minutes of floor time.
That loss also marked the second time the Sixers had Jared McCain in the lineup. Their first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft recently returned after recovering from right thumb surgery. The former Duke Blue Devil only appeared in 23 games during his rookie campaign due to a knee injury.
McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, 2.4 assists, and nearly swiped a steal per game in his introduction to the Association. In Sunday's loss to the Pistons, he registered a steal and an assist in nine minutes off the bench.
Perhaps McCain, who did not play in the first two matchups against Boston this season, will prove a difference-maker in a series so far decided by a total of two points.
Tuesday's tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. EST.