Boston Celtics center Aron Baynes, left, gets a pat on the back from Gordon Hayward after breaking his left hand during the first quarter of a basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Boston, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Celtics center Aron Baynes, left, gets a pat on the back from Gordon Hayward after breaking his left hand during the first quarter of a basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Boston, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Credit: Charles Krupa

Boston — Celtics center Aron Baynes had surgery on a broken left finger and will be out four to six weeks.

The team made the announcement on Thursday, a day after Baynes left early in the game against the Phoenix Suns after deflecting a pass with his left hand.

Baynes shook his hand in visible pain and went to the locker room when play stopped. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the 111-103 loss on Wednesday night that he could see the break on the X-ray.

Big man Al Horford also was ruled out for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Guerschon Yabusele, Daniel Theis and rookie Robert Williams are expected to have increased responsibilities at center.

Thursday’s Game

Heat 101, Rockets 99

Miami — Josh Richardson scored 22 points, Tyler Johnson added 19 and the Heat held off Houston on Thursday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

James Harden scored 35 for the Rockets, whose five-game winning streak was snapped when Eric Gordon’s 3-point try at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced away. The worst part of the night for Houston, however, will likely be the loss of point guard Chris Paul in the second quarter to a strained left hamstring.

“It’ll be some time,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said of Paul, who will undergo an MRI on Friday.