Kemba Walker is out for Charlotte tonight; Isaiah set to return for the Celtics


The Charlotte Hornets will be without their leading scorer tonight in their matchup in Boston against the Celtics. According to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, Kemba Walker will not play tonight due to a personal issue. Walker scores 22.6 points per game for Michael Jordan's young Hornets team, nearly 10 points more than their next highest in Nicolas Batum, who notches 13.6 per game. It's a tough break for a team who sits at 3rd in the Eastern Conference at 14-12, but has struggled of late, losing their last three games.

Looking to take advantage of Charlotte's unfortunate situation, the Boston Celtics are also in big need of a win, they also he'd into tonight on a 3-game losing streak. Although there's good news on the C's side of the coin. According to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE, point guard (and also team leading scorer) Isaiah Thomas is set to return from a groin injury that's had him sidelined for the Celtics last 4 games.

The Celtics are no strangers to the injury bug this season, as they have had three of their five starters have missed a good chunk of games: Jae Crowder 8 (ankle), Al Horford 10 (concussion), and the most recent Thomas (groin); however, they've also dodged some pretty good players on the other side of the court due to injuries as well:


With news of both Thomas' return and Walker missing the game Vegas Insider has the Celtics at -7.5 tonight for the game in Beantown. It'll be great to see the Celtics back at full-strength, and hopefully the start of healthy run so we can see exactly what they are as a complete team. The C's currently sit in the middle of the pack of Eastern Conference playoff contenders at 6th - a half game behind Charlotte and the New York Knicks for 3rd, and just one game ahead of the 9th place Indiana Pacers.

Tonight's game tips off at 7:30 EST on CSNNE.


Photo Credit - Brace Hemmelgran/USA TODAY Sports, Barry Chin/Boston Globe

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