The Boston Celtics have arguably the deepest roster in the league, and they will finally get an opportunity to showcase it once again in its full glory as Aron Baynes is set to return from injury on Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors. Brad Stevens announced the big man’s return during a radio appearance, also noting that Marcus Smart is set to return after missing a game due to an illness.
Brad Stevens tells @ZoandBertrand that he expects Marcus Smart and Aron Baynes to be available to play tonight. He's not sure if Baynes will be on a minutes limit.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 16, 2019
Baynes has been out for the last 13 games with a broken metacarpal in his left hand. The Celtics have struggled defensively in the absence of their 6’10 center, posting a defensive rating of 108.7 in the games that Baynes has missed compared to 102.9 before he got injured.
Baynes’ return comes at an opportune time for Boston, and not just because the East-leading Raptors are coming to town. The team is in the midst of a 7-8 stretch, including three straight losses and a tense locker room following a poorly-executed crunch-time play in a defeat to Orlando Sunday, which prompted Kyrie Irving to unload about how the Celtics have responded to heightened expectations this season. There was also an incident last week when Marcus Morris and Jaylen Brown reportedly had to be separated on the bench.
Nevertheless, one of Boston’s problems this year has been an inability to find a good rotation that maximizes all of its players, to the point that Terry Rozier has accused the team of being “too talented”. How Baynes’ return affects that dynamic remains to be seen.
