The Boston Celtics are dealing with some injury concerns after two physical games against the Orlando Magic. Boston is on the road for game three, which will take place on Friday, April 25.
Jayson Tatum is dealing with a bone bruise in his shooting wrist. Jaylen Brown has been dealing with a similar injury, only in his knee. According to Boston’s injury report heading into Friday, Tatum is doubtful to participate in game three, while Jrue Holiday is the latest player to pick up a knock.
The veteran guard is reporting working through a right hamstring strain.
Therefore the current injury report looks like this:
- Jayson Tatum, doubtful
- Jrue Holiday, questionable
- Jaylen Brown, questionable
In Tatum’s absence, Holiday picked up a significant amount of the offensive playmaking for game two. As such, Joe Mazzulla will likely be hoping the veteran is cleared to play. Otherwise, Boston’s chances of securing a win on the road, against a physical Magic team, will suffer a blow.
Considering the number of bumps this Celtics team is dealing with, the ideal scenario is that they close out this series in four games. If the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons series can drag on for seven games, the Celtics would then have ample time to rest and recover from the current ailments sweeping through the rotation.
The Celtics will update their injury report closer to Friday’s contest.
Celtics’ Al Horford Frustrated With Magic
Tatum suffered his bone bruise following a hard foul in game one. The All-Star forward was going up for a dunk when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope instigated a hard foul. When speaking to the media after the game, Al Horford aired his frustration with Orlando’s two-time NBA champion.
“Yeah, there was something extra,” Horford told ESPN. “There was a lot. It was the second or third time that—especially [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]—went at him in that way.”
Horford could also be seen growing frustrated with Caldwell-Pope during game two. The pair caused a slight delay in proceedings following a clash in the open court. As such, it may be worth keeping an eye on Horford and Caldwell-Pope as the series continues to unfold.
Celtics’ Need to Stay Healthy
The last thing Boston needs is another player picking up an injury. Boston’s focus may be on winning its opening series, but there is also the bigger picture of contending for a championship.
Orlando is built on both physicality and athleticism. They don’t back down, and they look to muck things up in the half court. Joe Mazzulla’s team has been in battles like this before. It’s likely why they’ve found a way to win in both of the opening games. However, with the health of the roster now a slight concern, Mazzulla may be wise to go deeper into his rotation.
Neemias Queta and Torrey Craig could both make an impact against Orlando. And while it’s unconventional to lean on a deep rotation in the playoffs, Mazzulla may need to accept this series will call for depth. The Magic aren’t going to change their approach. Limiting minutes, and thus exposure, may be the Celtics best chance of coming out of this series unscathed.
