Celtics, Cavaliers hit by injuries

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers were missing several key players Wednesday night because of injuries.

Guards Kemba Walker (left knee rehab) and Jaylen Brown (strained right hamstring) and forward Gordon Hayward (bruised right knee) were out of the starting lineup for the Celtics, who couldn’t hold a 21-point, second-half lead and lost in overtime to Brooklyn on Tuesday night.

Center Andre Drummond (strained left calf) and rookie guard Darius Garland (strained left groin) were both out of the lineup for Cleveland for the second straight game. Center Tristan Thompson missed his third straight game with a bruised left knee.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Brown, who was injured Tuesday, will miss a minimum of seven days. Walker scored 21 points Tuesday after missing five games with the knee injury. There’s no timetable for when the 6-foot guard will play in back-to-back games. Stevens said Hayward’s status is day-to-day,

Forward Jayson Tatum, who didn’t play Tuesday because of an illness, will return.

Cleveland dressed 10 against Boston after signing swingman Sir’Dominic Pointer to a 10-day contract.