Celtics Lose Key Bench Players Ahead of Spurs Matchup

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The Boston Celtics could be without two key bench players for their upcoming matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Second-string center Nikola Vucevic is recovering from a fractured finger, while sixth man Payton Pritchard is listed as questionable with a neck spasm. Pritchard has been a valuable scorer off the bench for the Celtics, averaging 17.3 points and 5.7 assists per game since moving back to a reserve role.

Why it matters

The Celtics are in the midst of a tough three-game road trip, facing the second and first-place teams in the NBA standings. Losing Vucevic and potentially Pritchard could make it more challenging for Boston to maintain their strong recent play, as they try to solidify their position atop the Eastern Conference.

The details

Vucevic underwent surgery over the weekend to repair his fractured ring finger and is expected to miss at least three weeks. Pritchard has been a hit-or-miss scorer of late, but is coming off back-to-back 18-point outings. He's been a valuable sixth man for the Celtics, averaging 17.3 points and 5.7 assists per game since moving back to a reserve role.

• Vucevic suffered the fractured finger last week.
• Pritchard is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Spurs.

What’s next

The Celtics will need to determine Pritchard's status ahead of Tuesday's game against the Spurs. If he is unable to play, the team will have to rely more heavily on their starting lineup and other bench players to make up for his production.