Analysis: Kyrie Irving (sore quad) out and Marcus Smart (illness) doubtful against Nets

The Celtics could be very shorthanded in the backcourt on Monday night as the attempt to salvage a win in the finale of their three-game road trip without their starting backcourt. Kyrie Irving told reporters at Monday's shootaround in New York that he will sit out tonight's game against the Nets to rest a sore quad. He plans on playing against the Raptors in a showdown at the TD Garden on Wednesday.

“It’s literally a tight-ass knot in my right quad,” Irving told reporters. “I’m probably going to need some dry-needling to get that spot out, but other than that take this one out and play against the Raptors.”

Marcus Smart was not with the team at shootaround due to illness, according to Celtics PR. Brad Stevens told reporters that he is doubtful for the matchup after the team initially ruled him out.

BSJ Analysis: Losing both guards will be a tall task for the Celtics in the midst of a 1-5 road slump against a high-powered Nets offense that likes to play three guards regularly.

The early guess here is that

Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown will serve as starters in the backcourt if Smart can't go, which would leave Brad Wanamaker and Gordon Hayward to handle bench ballhandling duties with a group that could include Semi Ojeleye getting some playing time.

It will be a big night for Rozier, who has struggled mightly over the past two games (1-of-13 FG), as he is handed a bigger role. The good news for Boston is that he's played some of his best basketball of the season in a starting capacity, averaging 14.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 5.3 apg while shooting 55 percent from the field over four starts this year. Boston has gone 3-1 in those contests.

Rozier will draw D'Angelo Russell on the defensive end, while Brown will likely be tasked with chasing around sharpshooter Joe Harris on the perimeter. There is a possibility that Hayward could get the starting nod over Brown for that role, if Brad Stevens feels Brown is needed more to defend one of Brooklyn's two reserve point guards (Shabazz Napier, Spencer Dinwiddie) off the bench alongside Wanamaker.

Either way, this is tough timing for the C's to lose a couple of key guards. It will take an outstanding defensive effort from the likes of Rozier, Brown, Hayward, Wanamaker and Jayson Tatum tonight to prevent this Nets team from lighting the Celtics up from long distance (seventh in league in three-point percentage).  C's did a nice job on that front against an undermanned Nets team at the Garden, but with Harris and DeMarre Carroll back in the fold, the job gets much tougher tonight.