Miami announced P.J. Tucker suffered and left knee contusion after seeing 22 minutes of play in Game 2 vs. the Celtics. It’s unclear how many games Tucker will miss because of the injury, which means his status for Games 3 and 4 in Boston could be up in the air.
If he’s unable to play, Caleb Martin should see more playing time, but Tucker’s absence will surely be missed especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Meanwhile, veteran Kyle Lowry remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and has yet to make his conference finals debut for the top-seeded Heat. Gabe Vincent continues to see formidable minutes in Lowry’s absence as the series shifts to Boston tied at 1-1 apiece.
More Injury & Availability Notes
- Celtics’ Marcus Smart (left foot sprain) returned in Game 2 vs. the Heat after a one-game absence. The Defensive Player of the Year showed up big time on offense, flirting with a triple-double, with 24 points, 9 rebounds, 12 assists, with 5 makes from beyond the arc. Boston also welcomed big man Al Horford back to the rotation after missing Game 1 in the league’s health and safety protocols.
It’s worth noting that Derrick White did miss Thursday’s Game 2 in Miami due to personal reasons but it’s known that White and his wife are back in Boston anticipating the birth of their first child. There is exactly a two-day gap between every game in the conference finals, and Boston may allow White to take the time he needs instead of rushing him back into the lineup, especially with Smart and Horford back.
- Although this is just a rumor, TNT’s play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan heard that Mavericks star Luka Doncic could be playing through an illness right now that is impacting his play on the court.
“I hear he’s sick today,” said Harlan while joining KNBR’s Greg Papa and John Lund on Thursday. “I guess he was up most of the night and ill. I’ve heard it now from two different people, so I’m assuming it’s probably true.”
It surely was no “MJ Flu Game” as Doncic put up 20 points, only two in the entire second half, on 6-18 shooting in a 112-87 Game 1 loss to the Warriors. Perhaps he is battling an illness that is hurting his play, but if Dallas needs some magic to avoid another 0-2 deficit, it’s Luka magic.
- Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala remains out with an ongoing neck injury and won’t play in Friday’s Game 2 vs. Mavericks. Gary Payton II, who suffered a fractured elbow in the Warriors’ 106-101 loss to the Grizzlies in Game 2, is considered a “longshot” to return sometime in the Conference Finals.
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