Must-lose game

Welcome to the Garden, where the Boston Celtics (23-55) will take on the Milwaukee Bucks (26-52) 7:30 p.m.

This game is as must-lose as they come for the Celtics. Boston can clinch the league’s second-worst record with a loss to Milwaukee tonight. The Celtics currently have the worst record in the Eastern Conference, three games worse than the Bucks.

The Memphis Grizzlies have the league’s worst record at 19-60.

With the league’s second-worst record, the Celtics would have 199 chances in 1,000 at landing the No. 1 pick in the draft. Their odds at getting the No. 2 pick would be 18.81 percent.

Delonte West, Al Jefferson, Brian Scalabrine, and Theo Ratliff were in uniform shooting around on the court before tonight’s game. The Celtics took a team picture before the game, so the uniforms aren’t an indication that any of these players will play tonight. Scalabrine is done for the year, according to Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Ratliff only played two games this season and will not return. And the Celtics don’t seem eager to rush Scalabrine or West back to the court if they are not 100 percent.

For what it’s worth, Jefferson and West appeared to be moving fine while they shot around this evening.

Milwaukee has been playing without Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Bobby Simmons, Brian Skinner and Charlie Villanueva as of late. No word yet on who is officially out for tonight’s contest, but don’t expect either team to dress anything close to a full compliment of players.

We’ll have notes from the locker room in a bit.