Analysis: With six players missing against Pelicans, how will Brad Stevens handle lineups?

The Celtics have been lucky to avoid the injury bug this season for the most part, but it has finally hit the team hard ahead of regular season game No. 26 on Monday night against the Pelicans. The team announced this afternoon that Aron Baynes (sprained ankle), Kyrie Irving (sore AC joint) and Guerschon Yabusele (sprained ankle) have all been ruled out for tonight's contest. Gordon Hayward (illness) and Al Horford (sore left knee) are also considered doubtful. With Jabari Bird away from the team still, that leaves Boston with just nine active roster players for the matchup if Horford and Hayward can't go.

The team has already recalled two-way wing PJ Dozier and Robert Williams from Maine and both players are expected to be in uniform for the matchup. Here's a tentative look at the projected depth chart without Hayward and Horford.

G: Smart, Brown, Rozier, Wanamaker
F: Tatum, Morris, Ojeleye, Dozier
C: Theis, Williams

BSJ Analysis: The most concerning addition to the injury list has to be Irving.

He played just 21 minutes in the blowout win over the Bulls on Saturday night but it's clear that the shoulder injury that caused him to pull himself out of the win over the Knicks on Thursday night is bothering him a bit more than he may have led on. We'll find out more about the length of his potential absence in the coming hours but the fact he suffered that injury in a game that was decided (C's were up by 20 with under four minutes remaining) hurts.

Baynes and Horford getting some extra time to sit is the smart play given their ages and workload. Williams is back with the team now after missing two games for the birth of his child so he'll be able to backup Theis adequately in spot duty against an imposing Pelicans frontline. It's possible Anthony Davis (injured Sunday) may not suit up as well, which would be a huge break for Boston.

Incredibly, this shorthanded depth chart is fully capable of winning this game and it's quite similar to the group that put together a winning streak in March last season (with Baynes playing in place of Theis). A big opportunity awaits Wanamaker in what may be his first steady diet of rotation minutes at the wing, but everyone else on this roster has proven themselves fully capable of the role they are playing tonight. New Orleans will be on a back-to-back, so the Celtics have the rest edge and they will need to make the most of it this evening.