Friday, the Miami Heat make their first trip to TD Garden this season. The visitors arrive for the second half of a back-to-back. They beat the Brooklyn Nets, 106-95, at the Barclays Center on Thursday.
Adding to the challenge of playing two tilts in as many days is that Miami won't have three of its starters. Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, and Andrew Wiggins will not be in the lineup.
Herro is dealing with a toe injury. He had surgery on his left foot before the season. His recovery from that has limited him to being available for six of the Heat's 27 games.
He recently told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, "It hasn't really gotten better. I probably shouldn't have practiced. I'm just trying to control the swelling and the inflammation."
Heat shorthanded vs. Celtics
Miami's injury report is as long as a receipt from CVS. Wiggins is dealing with lower back pain. That saw him downgraded from questionable to out about an hour before tip-off at TD Garden. He logged 33 minutes, producing 10 points and four rebounds in Thursday's win against the Nets.
Davion Mitchell is out due to a left ankle sprain. That means the Heat are without either member of their starting backcourt when they're at full strength. Granted, that has rarely been the case this season.
Mitchell logged 30 minutes vs. Brooklyn. He matched Wiggins' scoring output, generating 10 points. He also dished out seven assists in the victory.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they will also be without key members of their second unit on Friday against the Celtics.
Nikola Jovic is inactive because of a right elbow contusion/laceration. The former first-round draft pick is averaging 7.2 points and 3.5 assists in 18.3 minutes of floor time this season.
Pelle Larsson, another member of Miami's youth movement, is also unavailable. Like Mitchell, he is dealing with a left ankle sprain. The second-year guard has started in 16 games, taking Tyler Herro's spot in the first unit. Larsson is producing 8.7 points and 3.2 assists in 21.9 minutes per contest.
As for the Celtics, Sam Hauser and Josh Minott were initially on Boston's injury report for Friday's matchup. Fortunately for the hosts, both got upgraded to available.
The only player inactive for Boston is Jayson Tatum. As he rehabs from a torn Achilles tendon, Brad Stevens recently addressed the possibility that he will make his return during the current campaign.