The Boston Celtics have made it clear that they are the best team in the NBA, and they are on the verge of clinching the best record in the league ahead of the playoffs after winning nine straight games. Once again, the Celtics will be looking to extend their active win streak to double-digits, although they will attempt to do so without veteran guard Jrue Holiday due to injury.
Holiday has missed the last four games for Boston, and he will also miss Monday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks due to what the team has called a right AC joint sprain in his shoulder. While there are a lot of unknowns pertaining to this injury for Holiday, the defensive star recently provided clarity on what his injury actually is, shining light on the fact that this won't be a prolonged absence.
“Not a dead arm. I got hit on my shoulder, and it felt like my arm went dead. But it's not a nerve thing or anything,” Holiday said on Monday, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “It's just the part of the shoulder that I got hit in. But my shoulder is fine.”
Jrue Holiday's injury status
This injury to Holiday occurred on March 17, when the Celtics defeated the Washington Wizards 130-104. After getting hit hard on a screen, Holiday was seen grabbing at his shoulder and ended up seeing only 22 minutes as a result. Originally, it was said that he was sitting out games as more than just a precaution due to experiencing a “dead arm.”
Usually, when a player deals with dead arm syndrome, this means they are battling through some type of shoulder subluxation or labrum injury. For Holiday, the only known information is that the team is listing him out on the injury report with an AC joint sprain. Whether or not this injury will have lingering effects on Holiday for the remainder of the season and into the postseason is yet to be determined.
The good news is that the veteran believes this is just a temporary ailment and that he will be taking things day-to-day.
In a total of 61 games, Holiday has averaged 12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. Known for his defensive abilities, Holiday has helped turn Boston into one of the best defensive teams in the entire league. He and Derrick White make up arguably the best defensive backcourt in the NBA this season.
With Holiday out, Payton Pritchard has been the main beneficiary for the Celtics, averaging 18.2 points and 8.0 assists over his last five games. Pritchard has shot 48.6 percent from three-point range in this span.
Whether or not Holiday can return to the floor this week likely depends on his response to treatment for his injury. Due to the notion that he has downplayed the fact that he actually has a shoulder injury, Holiday may very well be held out a few more games by the Celtics as a precaution since they own the league's best record.
Having Holiday healthy and ready for the playoffs is the Celtics' own priority. After missing Monday night's game, his next chance to play will come on Thursday night, when the Celtics once again take on the Hawks in Atlanta.
Follow Us
Subscribe