NEW YORK — The Celtics are virtually locked into the No. 2 spot in the East, so as a result, they’re resting guys down the stretch of the season. They have their entire top-6 rotation players listed for the 7:30 p.m. Tuesday game against the Knicks.
To start, Al Horford is out with a right knee sprain. Derrick White is probable with a right big toe sprain. All four other starters are questionable: Kristaps Porzingis (illness), Jayson Tatum (left ankle sprain), Jaylen Brown (right knee) and Jrue Holiday (right shoulder).
Tatum and Porzingis both sat Sunday’s win over the Wizards. Porzingis was a late scratch with his illness, so his questionable designation is at least a positive that it won’t keep him out for a second straight game. Considering it’s a road game, Tatum will most likely suit up as he hates sitting away from home.
Brown has dealt with right knee issues the past few weeks. He hasn’t looked at his best, though he also added resting won’t necessarily make his knee feel better. Brown is also at 62 games played this season, so he only needs three more to get to the 65-game mark for awards. Holiday has also been slowed down his right shoulder issue, so the team could look to rest him ahead of the playoffs.
Of note, the Celtics have a back-to-back coming up as they also face the Magic in Orlando on Wednesday. It’s unlikely their best players play both games at this point, so that explains the lengthy injury report for the Knicks game. The Celtics have a chance to match an NBA record for road wins a season, though they’ll need to beat both the Knicks and Magic to do so. But that’s not a priority as health remains the most important factor with the regular season in its final week.
