Payton Pritchard to sit out against Spurs with neck spasms

The Celtics will be without Payton Pritchard due to neck spams, when they face the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday, according to the team's latest injury report.

Pritchard, who's coming off an 18-point, seven-assist performance in the C's 109-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday, was downgraded from questionable to out during the team's shootaround earlier today. This will be only his second game he's missed this season, after his lone absence came in a 132-106 January win against the Atlanta Hawks -- due to ankle soreness.

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has gone back to his off the bench role since the NBA trade deadline, when the Celtics acquired Nikola Vučević from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Anfernee Simons. Pritchard is currently averaging 16.9 points and 5.4 assists, while shooting 46.1% from the field and 36.2% from three in 32.5 minutes (third-most on the team) per contest. He and Vučević, who has a finger fracture and will be out 3-4 weeks, are the only two on the team's injury report.

With Pritchard out, Baylor Scheierman may get some increased minutes against the Spurs, as he averaging 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 25.9 minutes per contest over his last 15 games. Following Pritchard returning to the bench at the trade deadline, Scheierman was inserted into the starting lineup before Jayson Tatum returned this past Friday from a torn Achilles.

Scheierman finished with an impressive 16-point (4-of-6 from deep), 10-rebound double-double (fourth of the season) in 26 minutes off the bench against the Cavaliers -- in front of national TV audience Sunday -- to which Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said Scheierman's "impact doesn't get rewarded enough."

"He's just another connector," Mazzulla told reporters Sunday. "He doesn't care about starting. He doesn’t care about anything but competing. That doesn't get rewarded enough -- his competing and his care factor. He doesn't care about anything but competing at the highest level and executing -- he takes a ton of pride in that."

Meanwhile, Mazzulla may also turn to Two-Way guard Ron Harper Jr. for some minutes as another ball-handler off the bench. The 25-year-old may possibly get some run against his younger brother Dylan Harper -- who's a rookie for the Spurs.

The Celtics (43-21) and Spurs (47-17) tip-off from San Antonio tonight at 8:00 pm ET on NBC/Peacock.

Joel Pavón

Follow @Joe1_CSP



Photo used courtesy of Getty Images