Celtics center Nikola Vucevic has to wait patiently for his fractured right ring finger to heal, but he’s hopeful he can return to action before the playoffs begin.
“The good thing is I can still do some stuff on the court,” he said, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “That will help me for when I come back [to be in] shape, and hopefully I get a couple games before the playoffs, get back in rhythm with the guys that week between regular season and playoffs, everything going as smoothly as possible.”
Vucevic suffered the injury on March 6 and was formally ruled out for at least three-to-four weeks.
“So far I haven’t had much pain or anything; everything has been going well,” he said. “The swelling is coming down and been working the range of motion. So hopefully the X-ray is clean at three weeks and I can start doing some stuff and just getting back to being comfortable and building strength in the hand.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Celtics are likely to stay under the first tax apron once again next season, Brian Robb of MassLive.com opines. Robb points out that they currently have approximately $185MM committed in salary for 2026/27, $9MM of which is non-guaranteed, while the first apron projects to be $210.3MM. Boston may also be able to operate below the $201.7MM tax line, resetting its repeater clock. It shouldn’t be difficult to shed salary, if necessary, to achieve that goal, Robb adds, noting that the emergence of young talent on team-friendly deals across the roster will be very helpful on that front.
- The Nets dropped a 93-92 heart-breaker to the Knicks, their 14th straight loss to their crosstown rival. Josh Minott was highly agitated by the loss after scoring a career-high 22 points, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “I wanted that s–t so (bleeping) bad,” he said. “Ever since we’ve been here, it’s like every game is an away game. [Friday] was just the night to really just stick it to everybody, man. As an organization, as a team, to show people that we got s–t here, yo. Man, just a sea of blue, a sea of orange. Every game we play, it’s a sea of the other team.”
- The Raptors left their 121-115 loss to the Nuggets on Friday still feeling good about themselves. Heading into their game in Phoenix on Sunday, they hold the fifth spot in the East. “The more we get healthy, the more we play together, the better it’s going to be for us,” RJ Barrett said, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “I think we’re showing that on a nightly basis. But there are times and moments that we can play better as a team.”
The assistant coach drew up the most game losing play I’ve ever seen with 2.9 seconds to go. Aspiring to get a half court heave! That was quality tanking by the nets. Got to look competitive while increasing lottery odds.
Future does seem bright though with Saraf, wolf, clowney, sharpe, traore, minott
Crazy how the Celtics are so loaded with depth that they just gave Minott away for nothing.
Wouldn’t be the first time they mistakenly dumped talent. Desmond Bane!!!! wtf! lol
Wasn’t Bane drafted by the Celts for some other team?
They drafted him and then traded him like 2 days later to Memphis.
I’m curtain that was pre organised and Boston made that pick for Memphis. I’d rather D.White anyways.
Yeah White is the perfect fit between JB and JT.
The first apron is projected to be 210m so… the Celtics be more than fine!
Yep, and will be even better next season with a bit of luck in the injury department. Fully healthy and firing Tatum. The Js coming into their prime. Vucevic can stick around and find more continuity with teammates. There is plenty of improvement from within with young guys like Hugo, Walsh even Queta will be better.
LET’S GO CELTICS.
Next season is going to be fun. Looks like they’ll have money to make a move or 2 and the bench is already deep. Like you said Hugo and Jordan are going to be that much better. Queta is an absolute gem!