The Boston Celtics visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night and had a lengthy injury report heading into the game. Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were both initially listed as questionable, as the former was listed with right ankle impingement while the latter has a rare sacroiliac strain. Both played on Saturday night during a 117-107 win over the Phoenix Suns, but will they suit up versus the Blazers? The answer is yes, though the Celtics will still be without a couple key players in Portland.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown injury status vs. Trail Blazers
The latest Monday update has Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White as all available to play, while Jrue Holiday will be out with left knee tendinopathy.
Tatum, Brown, and the rest of the Boston Celtics have been fortunate enough to stay pretty healthy during the 2023-24 season. The pair of 2024 All-Stars, as well as White and Holiday, were all questionable heading into the Celtics' first game against Portland this season. Center Kristaps Porzingis, the fifth and final starter for the C's, was already sidelined with right hamstring tightness.
Although this banged-up roster might raise some red flags for Celtics fans, a lot of those intitial injury designations were by design. On Saturday night versus the Phoenix Suns, Tatum, Brown, Holiday, and White all played 32 minutes or more. No Celtic appeared to be hurt in that primetime showdown, so it seems like Boston was taking some precautions.
As for Porzingis, the same right hamstring tightness that will prevent him from facing Portland kept him out against Phoenix. The Latvian big man has participated in 46 of Boston's 63 games this season, but the Celtics have been eager to rest him whenever possible.
Including the Portland contest, the C's still have 19 games left in the 2023-24 regular season. Yet, at 49-14 overall, they're in first place in the Eastern Conference and hold an eight-game lead over the second-place Milwaukee Bucks. With that cushion, priority No. 1 at the moment is heading into the playoffs healthy.
Meanwhile, Portland doesn't have a shot at the postseason. The Blazers are 18-45 after trading star Damian Lillard in the offseason and sustaining multiple major injuries early in the season. In spite of their poor record, they still have some promising talent with young guys like Anfernee Simons and rookie Scoot Henderson.
Former Celtic Dalano Banton has even excelled with the Blazers following his move at the 2024 trade deadline. Since being shipped from the C's, he's averaging 14.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 23.2 minutes per outing.
Of all the Celtics moved at the deadline, Dalano Banton might be playing the best.
He dropped 30 points and eight rebounds (both career-highs) in 38 minutes on Friday vs. Houston. Celtics will travel to Portland on Monday.
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 9, 2024
With Tatum, Brown and White set to suit up against the Blazers, the Celtics should take care of business even without Porzingis and Holiday.
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