IT has every reason not to play right now.
His teammates and coaches do not.
When one of your coworkers has a personal tragedy, you'd be a real jerk to expect him or her to still work the same. You'd be a monster to give them crap about taking time off.
But you would still need to do your job.
In fact, you would be expected to step up to pick up the slack for your bereaved friend and coworker, thereby allowing your employer and your coworker to breathe easier during a difficult time.
It's not an excuse for the whole team. These guys are professionals.
That's not to say it's an easy thing to ask of them. It is not. But winning in the playoffs, as I said in another thread, always means overcoming some kind of adversity, whether mental or physical, on court or off court.
The Celts need to figure out how to respond to adversity, or they will be run off the court in an embarrassing loss. If that happens, the makeup of the team needs to change.