ORLANDO, Fla. -- Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas flew home early to start treatment for a groin strain and will miss the game Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.
Thomas suffered the groin strain late in the first half Monday against the Houston Rockets. Thomas could be seen grabbing at the right side of his groin after an offensive series. He played the rest of the game -- missing a potential go-ahead layup in the final seconds -- and soreness set in the next day.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he hadn't made a final determination on a replacement for Wednesday but said it will likely be Marcus Smart, who was wearing a green starter's jersey at the team's morning shootaround at the Amway Center.
"[Thomas] was very sore [Tuesday]," Stevens said. "Like Isaiah is, he had convinced himself he wanted to play [vs. Orlando], and he really wants to play. Obviously, it's an injury you're leery of because it can hamper you just beyond if it continues to exist."
Thomas' streak of 103 consecutive regular-season games will end Wednesday. He last sat out during Boston's regular-season finale against Milwaukee on April 15, 2015.
Stevens said he did not believe that Thomas required an MRI or further testing, but the team sent him home to begin treatment in hopes of getting him back on the court soon.
"You put him on the plane so you can get him back to get treatment around the clock in our training room, see our doctors, and everything else," Stevens said.
Thomas, an All-Star last season, is the sixth Boston player to miss time due to injury this season. Boston will be forced to utilize its sixth different starting lineup combination against the Magic.
Thomas is averaging a career-best 26 points per game this season and is second in the East in scoring only behind Toronto's DeMar DeRozan.