Celtics' Vucevic Sidelined After Fractured Ring Finger

Nikola Vučević exited Friday’s game with a fractured right ring finger and underwent what the Celtics called a "successful surgery." He will be "reevaluated in three-to-four weeks." Vučević had just played his 12th game since the Feb. 3 trade, averaging 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds while the Celtics were +13.4 with him on the floor. His early exit and absence thin Boston’s frontcourt just as Jayson Tatum returns from a ruptured Achilles. Merlin sees a team that must lean on Neemias Queta and Luka Garza to hold the paint and keep spacing intact. Vučević’s rebound work and outside touch are hard to replace, so lineup minutes will shift and chemistry can wobble. A swift recovery restores balance; a longer absence forces Boston to test its depth and patience.