Game Shock: Celtics Guard Late Scratch vs Thunder
Boston Celtics face a setback as NBA injury report rules out key players including Derrick White before a big clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Celtics will play without Derrick White in Thursday night's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. White, who is dealing with a right knee contusion, was initially listed as "questionable" after sustaining the injury during Tuesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Furthermore, the Celtics are already playing without Jayson Tatum (treating a right Achilles tendon injury) and Nikola Vucevic (fracture in the right ring finger). In Tatum's absence, Baylor Scheierman is likely to return to the starting lineup; Ron Harper Jr., Hugo Gonzalez, and Jordan Walsh are also expected to see increased playing time.
This season, White has averaged 17.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. He has missed only two games all season and has been one of the Celtics' most impactful defenders. White holds the highest "plus-minus" rating on the Celtics—when White is on the court, the Celtics have outscored their opponents by 481 points. The player with the next-highest plus-minus rating, Neemias Queta, stands at +337.
Nevertheless, the Celtics have posted a 2-0 record this season even without White, securing victories against the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In White's absence, two-way guard Ron Harper Jr. is likely to receive more playing time. Harper Jr. just played the best scoring game of his NBA career; on Tuesday night, in a matchup against his brother Dylan and the Spurs, he scored an impressive 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting. After beginning the year in the G League, Harper Jr. has appeared in 19 games for the Celtics this season, averaging 4.1 points while playing 11.9 minutes per night.
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On the other hand, the Thunder will be without Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf injury) and Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) for this matchup. Thomas Satoransky, who suffered a torn right ACL, remains sidelined; similarly, Nikola Topić is unavailable as he has been assigned to the G League. Brandon Carlson is also out due to a lower back strain.
Nevertheless, despite battling injuries throughout the season, the Thunder have remained one of the NBA's premier teams. They hold a 51-15 record and boast the highest net rating (+10.8) in the league. The Thunder possess the NBA's best defensive rating at 106.2, along with the seventh-best offensive rating at 117. They have won 9 of their last 10 games and are currently riding a six-game winning streak.
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