When the Celtics face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, they’ll be without Chris Boucher (non-COVID illness), as well as two-way players Ron Harper Jr. (right knee sprain) and Amari Williams (right hand
hairline fracture).
Both Harper Jr and Williams sustained those injuries in Sunday’s Maine Celtics win against the College Park Skyhawks. Harper Jr. left the game with a knee injury suffered in the second quarter, while Williams played through the fracture en route to his first G League triple-double.
Boucher has only appeared in 8 games this season, and hasn’t appeared in a game since November 23rd.
“It obviously hasn’t been going the way that he would have anticipated,” Joe Mazzulla told reporters in Toronto, per NBC Sports Boston. “But, I think along the way, he’s been a great teammate. He cares about winning more than anything else.”
Maine Celtics standouts Ron Harper Jr, Amari Williams deal with injuries
Neither Ron Harper Jr. nor Amari Williams have regularly been part of the rotation in their time with Boston; still, two of the Maine Celtics’ top performers are now sidelined.
In the G League, Harper Jr. is averaging 26.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, while Williams is averaging 12.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
Without both two-way players, the Maine Celtics nonetheless won their 9th consecutive game on Wednesday, beating the Capitol City Go-Go 112-101 after closing out the third quarter on a 26-2 run.
Williams has spent some time with the parent club of the past few weeks; he played a career-high 15 minutes in a win over the Detroit Pistons last month, and came in to guard Evan Mobley on a game-winner attempt in a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Both two-way players were at Celtics practice at the Auerbach Center on Wednesday despite being ruled out of Thursday’s game.
Outside of Boucher, Harper Jr, and Williams, the only other player listed on the Celtics injury report is Jayson Tatum, who continues to rehab a ruptured Achilles.
The Celtics will look to improve to 16-9 when they face the Bucks, who will once again be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is out with a calf strain. The Bucks are 10-15 and currently have the East’s 10th-best record.
