Boston Celtics
76er star Joel Embiid will also miss Sunday’s game with an oblique strain.
Jayson Tatum will not make his season debut on Sunday, according to the Celtics’ injury report.
Tatum remains out as he continues to recover from the right Achilles’ tendon injury he suffered last May against the Knicks.
There had been speculation that Sunday could have been a possible return date for Tatum. NBC moved the Celtics’ matchup with the 76ers back from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m and had begun airing pieces of a mini-documentary on his recovery process. Tatum has also said that he would like to make his return in front of a home crowd.
But Sunday will not be that day.
While Tatum has said publicly that he isn’t certain whether he’ll return this season, there have been encouraging signs that he may be relatively close to a return.
Last week, ESPN reported that he had been cleared for 5-on-5 action in practice. He had previously practiced with the Maine Celtics. Last month, he did an hour-long workout in front of reporters.
The Celtics have won eight of their last ten games, including Friday night’s triumph against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden.
Baylor Scheierman is questionable for the matchup with Philadelphia. He has a left thumb fracture.
Philadelphia center Joel Embiid will be out with an oblique strain, according to the 76ers’ injury report. He is reportedly expected to miss the team’s next three games.
The Celtics are 1-2 against Philadelphia this season, with each of the three games decided by two points or less. They lost to Philadelphia on opening night at TD Garden, picked up a road win against Philadelphia on Halloween, and lost to Philadelphia again on Nov. 11.
Sunday’s matchup will mark the end of the regular-season series between the two teams. The Celtics are second in the East standings. Philadelphia is sixth.
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