Malcolm Brogdon, the absence of the Boston Celtics in Game 6 against the Miami Heat

The Boston Celtics announced that guard Malcolm Brogdon will be out of Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals due to a right forearm strain. Game 6 of the series will kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Kaseya Center.

The current Sixth Man of the Year has had a downturn in his performance in the ECF since from the first game against Miami he suffered the injury. In the conference semifinal against the Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.2 minutes of play, but against Miami he has only averaged 6.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Brogdon’s absence will result in Joe Mazzulla using Payton Pritchard as point guard from the substitute bench and extended minutes for both Marcus Smart and Derrick White.

Pritchard, a graduate of Oregon, has seen action in four of the first five ECF games and posts averages of 4.0 points, 1.8 assists and 0.8 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game.