Boston Celtics
4 gamers, together with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, are listed as questionable.
Coming off a 109-102 victory in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks Friday with out Jaylen Brown, the Celtics could possibly be with out Brown once more after which some of their subsequent recreation.
4 gamers had been listed as questionable and one is out on Boston’s Saturday harm report forward of their Sunday highway contest in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets.
Brown, Jayson Tatum (proper Achilles restore administration), Neemias Queta (proper thumb sprain), and Derrick White (proper knee contusion) are 50/50 photographs to swimsuit up. Nikola Vucevic (proper ring finger fracture) stays out.
Queta and White all performed common minutes Friday regardless of showing on that harm report, as nicely.
Tatum notably recorded his most minutes on the courtroom since making his return earlier this month (36) in addition to his most factors (26). He has sat out just one recreation (March 12 at Oklahoma Metropolis) since making his season debut as a part of his harm administration plan.
Tatum has performed a minimum of half-hour in every of the Celtics’ seven contests since that off-day – secure to say he might most likely use some relaxation.
Following Friday’s win, Tatum spoke about among the difficulties he’s skilled on the parquet during the last three weeks. Taking pictures has been a battle for the star, one thing he known as “irritating”.
“It’s in every single place. Typically I’ll be dribbling the [expletive] ball and I like mishandle,” Tatum stated. “Typically I nonetheless have the ball but it surely’s simply, like, rattling. It’s irritating. Clearly among the photographs and layups on the rim, simply form of transferring too quick a bit of bit. So it’s irritating to me.”
Whereas Tatum could also be pissed off by his particular person play, the fact is that Boston has gained eight of the ten video games he’s performed in. His impression as a high participant within the NBA continues to be there regardless of not performing to his requirements. Head coach Joe Mazzulla spoke about that impression postgame Friday, figuring out rebounding as one key.
“I imply, I assumed I noticed his defensive rebounding,” Mazzulla stated of Tatum (via Bobby Krivitsky). Tatum logged 12 rebounds. “I assumed that was an important factor. I assumed offensively, he received into the paint, was capable of get to the free throw line, shot ten free throws, simply persevering with to chip away at giving the sport what it wants. He was aggressive in his drive, missed some simple layups there, however so long as he stays aggressive, so long as he makes the best learn, so long as he continues to rebound, he’s persevering with to get higher and higher.”
As for Brown, Mazzulla didn’t supply a lot perception into the participant’s Achilles tendinitis Friday. The coach labeled Brown as “day-to-day” and didn’t say when he anticipated him to play subsequent. It could possibly be a superb signal that he wasn’t instantly dominated out of Sunday’s recreation.
It’s additionally onerous to think about Mazzulla would downplay an Achilles harm to any participant if the workforce knew it to be extreme after Tatum’s personal Achilles tear final 12 months.
Brown initially appeared on Thursday’s harm report with calf tightness, however his ailment was modified to an Achilles harm Friday.
The Celtics will submit one other harm report on recreation day and solidify the gamers’ statuses for his or her ninth-to-last common season recreation of the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
Tipoff between Boston and Charlotte is about for six p.m. Sunday.
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