BOSTON — The Celtics had been with out Jrue Vacation as they closed out their first-round collection towards the Orlando Magic. Vacation missed the ultimate three video games of the playoffs with a proper hamstring pressure after excelling in Video games 1 and a couple of.
He travelled with the staff to Orlando and was questionable forward of Recreation 3, however was dominated out of Video games 4 and 5 a day upfront.
Joe Mazzulla was requested about Vacation’s standing in his weekly radio look on 98.5 on Zolak and Bertrand on Wednesday, and he shared that the two-time All-Star is bettering.
“He’s day-to-day,” Mazzulla stated. “He’s working his ass off to get again there for us. It’s good that we had been in a position to type of maintain enterprise to get guys further time to relaxation. He’s working as laborious as he can to get again, he’s day-to-day. He’ll proceed to get higher.”
The Celtics have 5 days off earlier than they start their subsequent spherical of the playoffs. They’ll host both the Detroit Pistons or the New York Knicks on Monday, Could fifth.
“Jrue’s a troublesome man, and I do know he’ll do no matter it takes to place himself, and our staff, ready to win,” Mazzulla stated. “And he’ll additionally do what’s finest for him. He’s getting higher and higher every day, and we’ll see how he progresses.”
Different Celtics have stepped up with Jrue Vacation sidelined
With out Vacation, Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley praised Payton Pritchard for stepping up defensively.
“I felt like Payton, all collection, his ball strain, his impression was noticeable,” Al Horford stated. “He was simply looking for methods to impression the sport, to impression successful. Payton was key for us there.”
In an interview with NBC Sports activities Boston’s Abby Chin forward of Recreation 5, Derrick White famous that there’s no changing the All-Defensive guard.
However, with Vacation indefinitely sidelined, everybody should strive.
“Clearly, defensively, he does a lot for us, and you’ll’t actually exchange that,” White stated. “However even offensively, simply having one other playmaker on the market and somebody that may simply make the protection pay every time he has a chance. Everybody has to step up.”
