The Boston Celtics continue to push for the playoffs with less than a month to go in the regular season. Entering Tuesday, the Celtics are 7.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and 5.5 games clear of the New York Knicks for the second seed.
With their playoff seed likely locked in, the Celtics’ key priority is health heading into the postseason but that’s the truth for every team. One of Boston's conference rivals hit a speed bump on their road to the playoffs on Tuesday afternoon and will be without a key player who was acquired at last month’s trade deadline.
Bucks Deadline Acquisition Jericho Sims to Miss Remainder of Regular Season
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and USA Today reports that Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims is expected to miss the next four weeks with a thumb injury. He also adds that Sims is “likely” to return for the playoffs after having successful surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb.
Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims is expected to be sidelined for about four weeks with a “likely” return for the playoffs after having successful surgery this morning to repair a torn ligament on his right thumb, team says. pic.twitter.com/ppzZSp5tYT
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) March 17, 2025
Sims was acquired from the Knicks in the Feb. 6 trade that sent Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee and Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards. The move resulted in more playing time and the 26-year-old responded well, averaging 2.4 points, and 4.9 rebounds in 15 minutes per game off the Bucks’ bench.
It’s a big blow for the Bucks, who are currently in the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference but are separated by one game with the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. Milwaukee is also without forward Bobby Portis, who was suspended 25 games after testing positive for Tramadol, a drug on the NBA’s banned substance list.
Portis is eligible to come back for an April 8 home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the 11-game stretch could force them to use rookie forward Tyler Smith or two-way player Pete Nance in their absence.
Boston didn’t have many issues with Milwaukee this season, winning all three matchups during the regular season. But if Sims can’t recover in time for the playoffs, it could be a favorable playoff matchup if the two teams see each other at the end of the year.