Facing potential playoff games in Toronto, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers decline to say if teams are fully vaccinated

When asked directly within the past 24 hours if their teams are fully vaccinated, both the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers declined to comment to ESPN — opening up the possibility that both teams could potentially be missing players in road games of a first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors.

Entering play Wednesday, the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Celtics and 76ers are all within one loss of each other at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, meaning they could wind up in virtually any order between now and the end of the regular season on April 10.

That also means any of them could face the possibility of having to travel to Toronto for a first-round playoff series against the Raptors. As of Jan. 15, 2022, players need to be fully vaccinated in order to enter Canada.

The Heat and Bucks confirmed to ESPN that their teams are fully vaccinated, and thus won't have any issues playing in Toronto.

The Celtics played their first game in Toronto since the vaccination requirement went into effect on Monday, when they lost in overtime.

After beating the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Sunday, Boston ruled out four players for Monday's game in Toronto, the second night of a back-to-back: Robert Williams, who injured his meniscus in his left knee during Sunday's game; Al Horford, who missed both Sunday and Monday's games for personal reasons; Jayson Tatum, who the Celtics listed as out with right patella tendinopathy; and Jaylen Brown, who was listed as out with right knee soreness.

Sources told ESPN that Williams is vaccinated, while Tatum said back on Celtics media day that he was vaccinated, but that no one should be judged for choosing not to be.

«I mean, it's your own decision,» Tatum said. «I