Is Boston Celtics' Payton Pritchard going to play against the Raptors, April 7, 2023?

Celtics guard Payton Pritchard hurts heel in an overtime loss to Cavs. Payton Pritchard was seen limping after the loss to the Cavs.

Payton Pritchard in a file photo [Image-Twitter]
By Blesson Daniel | Apr 7, 2023 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Payton Pritchard (heel) is listed as doubtful for Friday’s game against the Raptors, according to Taylor Snow of the Celtics’ official website. Pritchard is still dealing with a heel problem and might miss his third game in a row. Even when he has been available, he has not been a consistent part of Boston’s rotation in recent years.

Payton Pritchard returned to the Celtics rotation for one night in Cleveland, courtesy of a battered Boston squad, but he was added to the team’s injured list by the end of the night. After a hard fall on a drive to the hoop, the third-year guard suffered a heel injury in the final seconds of regulation. The coast-to-coast move almost set to Grant Williams’ game-winning points, but he was fouled on the putback after Pritchard drew three defenders on his drive. Unfortunately, in the 109-109 games, Williams missed both of his free shots, and Boston lost in overtime.

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Payton Pritchard had a good performance before getting injured

Pritchard scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds in 16 minutes before exiting the game at the end of regulation. In that game, Boston was also missing Jayson Tatum (knee), Al Horford (back), and Robert Williams (hamstring) in their third consecutive loss, leaving them with only ten healthy players on the roster.

The Celtics play the Blazers in Boston on Wednesday night before embarking on a six-game road trip that begins Saturday in Atlanta. The squad still has one position open on the 15-man roster, which might be filled in the following days if further injuries occur.

Boston Celtics won against the Raptors in their last game

Boston welcomes Toronto in an attempt to extend their five-game home winning run. The Celtics are 32-18 versus Eastern Conference opponents. Boston leads the Eastern Conference with 117.9 points per game while shooting 47.5% from the floor.

The Raptors are 25-25 in conference play. At 12.8 offensive rebounds per game, Toronto is second in the league, topped by Jakob Poeltl, who averages 3.3. This is the fourth meeting between the two clubs this season. In their most recent meeting, the Celtics defeated the Raptors 97-93 on April 5. The Celtics were led by Malcolm Brogdon with 29 points, while the Raptors were led by Pascal Siakam with 28 points.

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