Celtics’ Rival’s Trade Deadline Acquisition Set to Miss Rest of Regular Season with Injury
The Boston Celtics are gearing up for a playoff push with just under a month remaining in the regular season. As of Tuesday, the Celtics sit 7.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, while holding a comfortable 5.5-game lead over the New York Knicks for the second seed. With their playoff position essentially secured, the Celtics’ main focus heading into the postseason is maintaining player health— a priority shared by every team as the postseason draws near.
However, one of Boston’s rivals in the East faced an unexpected setback on Tuesday that will sideline a key player they added at last month’s trade deadline. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and USA Today, Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims will be out for the next four weeks due to a thumb injury. Sims underwent successful surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and is expected to be back in time for the playoffs.
Sims had been acquired from the New York Knicks in a trade on February 6, which saw Kyle Kuzma head to Milwaukee while Khris Middleton was sent to the Washington Wizards. The move gave the 26-year-old more playing time, and he responded with solid performances, averaging 2.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 minutes per game off the Bucks’ bench.
This injury is a significant setback for the Bucks, who are currently holding the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference but are just one game ahead of the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons in a tightly contested race. Additionally, the Bucks are already missing forward Bobby Portis, who is serving a 25-game suspension after testing positive for Tramadol, an illegal substance in the NBA. Portis is eligible to return on April 8 in a home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the Bucks may be forced to rely on rookie forward Tyler Smith or two-way player Pete Nance in the meantime.
The Celtics have had little trouble with the Bucks this season, winning all three of their regular-season matchups. However, if Sims is unable to return for the playoffs, it could create a more favorable postseason scenario for Boston should the two teams meet in the later rounds.