By ETT 
The Boston Celtics will be without star forward Jayson Tatum when they face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, the team announced.
Tatum is dealing with a non-COVID illness and is listed as day-to-day. He joins forward Jaylen Brown, who is expected to miss multiple games with a facial contusion, on the Celtics’ injury report.
The Celtics have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season, but they have struggled in recent weeks without Tatum and Brown in the lineup.
In their last three games without Tatum and Brown, the Celtics have gone 1-2, including a 122-118 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
The Celtics will need to find a way to generate offense without their two leading scorers. Tatum is averaging 30.4 points per game this season, while Brown is averaging 26.5.
Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, and Derrick White are expected to shoulder more of the offensive load in Tatum and Brown’s absence.
The Pistons are one of the worst teams in the NBA, but they will be looking to take advantage of the Celtics’ shorthanded lineup.
The Pistons have lost their last four games, but they have played well against the Celtics in recent years. Detroit has won three of the last four meetings between the two teams.
The Pistons are led by Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Cunningham is averaging 16.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game this season.
The Pistons will also be looking to get production from Bojan Bogdanovic and Isaiah Stewart.
The Celtics and Pistons will tip off at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Celtics are a 6-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Celtics will be looking to bounce back from their loss to the Cavaliers, while the Pistons will be looking to snap their four-game losing streak.
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics: Tatum is the Celtics’ leading scorer and will be a big loss for the team if he is unable to play.
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics: Brown is the Celtics’ second-leading scorer and will also be a big loss for the team if he is unable to play.
- Marcus Smart, Celtics: Smart is the Celtics’ starting point guard and will need to step up in Tatum and Brown’s absence.
- Malcolm Brogdon, Celtics: Brogdon is a veteran guard who can score and pass the ball well.
- Derrick White, Celtics: White is a defensive-minded guard who can also score the basketball.
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons: Cunningham is the Pistons’ leading scorer and will be looking to take advantage of the Celtics’ shorthanded lineup.
- Bojan Bogdanovic, Pistons: Bogdanovic is a veteran forward who can score from anywhere on the court.
- Isaiah Stewart, Pistons: Stewart is a physical forward who can rebound and defend.
The Celtics are a better team than the Pistons, but they will be shorthanded without Tatum and Brown. The Pistons will be looking to take advantage of the Celtics’ shorthanded lineup, but the Celtics should still be able to win this game.
Prediction: Celtics 105, Pistons 95
