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The Boston Celtics are inching their way back towards full health, with Marcus Smart a conspicuous absence for today’s pregame injury report ahead of the team’s home rematch with the Toronto Raptors.
The Celtics list only centers Robert Williams III and Vincent Poirier as out for the contest, the former for a left hip edema and the latter a broken pinkie finger.
The Texan defensive menace has missed several weeks of games due to a severe eye infection that threatened his long-term visual health on the heels of other illness and injury before the ocular infection waylaid the Oklahoma State product.
#NEBHInjuryReport vs. Toronto:
Vincent Poirier (right pinkie fracture) – OUT
Robert Williams (left hip bone edema) – OUT— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 28, 2019
Williams and Poirier may return in January pending how well they heal, the Frenchman closer to the end of the month if his six-week recovery timetable proves accurate, and Timelord will be due for a re-assessment earlier in the month for his edema.
Presumably, Smart will return to action against the Raptors this evening, who are facing their own injury crisis with Most Improved Player candidate Pascal Siakam, veteran big Marc Gasol and shooting guard Norman Powell all likely scratches for the contest.