The Celtics Join Pretty Much Every Team In The NBA With Multiple Players Now Entering The Health And Safety Protocols
Stephen Gosling. Getty Images.Sigh. Just yesterday as we were getting a billion Shams/Woj bombs about more and more players being put into protocols, deep down I knew there was no way the Celts were going to walk away unscathed. Especially since they just played the Bucks in their last game and guys from MIL were being put in.
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About 10 seconds later we got out first one
I then wondered if that would be it and if we were in the clear for today. Ha, Daniel you fucking idiot, of course it wasn't going to be all there was. Now we start our Friday with the news that both Al and Grant will be missing this pretty huge game against the Warriors. Sort of important pieces to the puzzle on both ends if you ask me. Now I should also let you know that on the Warriors side they're going to be without a pretty big piece in Jordan Poole as well, so both teams are feeling it this morning.
It's a little scary that Al is back in after he already battled covid to start the year, so hopefully everything is OK there health wise. That's obviously the most important piece when talking about all this stuff. But from a basketball standpoint, this is a tough blow, no two ways about it. Horford is the straw that helps stir the drink, especially defensively, and Grant is shooting 45% from three this year. He's basically the only reserve player who has shown an ability to consistently knock down open threes. I'm already a little nervous about what the Warriors defense is now going to do to Jaylen/Tatum knowing they don't have some of their better shooters to kick out to.
I'm then wondering just how long both guys will be in the protocol. I feel like the rules/situations with that are all over the map. LeBron was back in like 1 day. Some guys are out until Christmas. The whole thing is exhausting really. But what I do know is the Celts need to win as many games on this homestand as possible after their horrific 1-4 West Coast trip, and not having both Al and Grant for a majority of that would be less than ideal.
I honestly don't know what the league does. Things appear to only be getting worse, not better. I think you can rule out a bubble since the world isn't shut down like it was back in 2020. Do they just pause the season? Do they say screw it and plow forward because they want that Christmas Day money and if guys are out then so be it? What a mess.
In terms of tonight, it was already going to be hard enough to beat the best team in basketball even with a full strength roster. Now we're going to need the Hospital Celtics to dig deep into their bag of trips and find a way to pull off the upset. Tatum and Brown are going to have to both produce and be efficient while they do it. Smart needs to play within himself. Dennis cannot struggle to score or turn the ball over. Someone has to make open corner threes when the defense sags. Ime cannot fuck up his rotations. Basically, the Celts are going to have to be perfect.
All I know is if there is ever a team that somehow zigs when we all think they'll zag, it's this one. Fingers crossed.
P.S.
Ime better go Smart/Jaylen/Romeo/Tatum/Rob to start this game. We all want to see it. It's time.