The Boston Celtics are rolling back into TD Garden on Monday night, ready to tangle with the Portland Trail Blazers in what kicks off a crucial four-game homestand. Fresh off a rollercoaster weekend on the road—surviving a heart-pounding double-overtime nail-biter in Brooklyn on Friday, only to get stung by a buzzer-beating three from the Chicago Bulls on Saturday—the C’s are looking to regroup and dominate at home.
But hold the phone: Monday’s injury report just dropped a gut punch for Celtics fans, spelling out who’s suiting up and who’s sidelined as the Blazers come calling.
Celtics’ Starting Big Man Hits the Skids
In a shocker that’s got the Green Team sweating, starter Neemias Queta is popping up on the injury list with a nagging illness. Tagged as questionable, Queta gutted it out through the back-to-back games over the weekend, but the grind clearly wore him down, and that bug just won’t quit. This guy’s been a beast in the paint this season, locking down the rim and owning the interior—his absence could be a real killer.
If Queta sits, head coach Joe Mazzulla might have to turn up the volume on rookie sensation Amari Williams, who stepped into his first career start on Saturday and flashed some serious promise in limited action. Depth is key, folks, and this could test Boston’s frontcourt resolve.
On a brighter note, Josh Minott’s been bumped up to questionable after sitting out nine straight with a pesky left ankle sprain. He hasn’t laced ’em up since January 3rd, but his return could inject some much-needed juice into a rotation that’s been running on fumes during this brutal slate.
Jaylen Brown? He’s cleared the decks entirely after shaking off that hamstring tightness from earlier in the week. But the big blow remains: superstar Jayson Tatum is still out, nursing that right Achilles repair. Ouch.
The official word from the Celtics’ camp:
Boston Celtics Injury Report vs. POR: Josh Minott – Left Ankle Sprain – QUESTIONABLE Neemias Queta – Illness (Non-Covid) – QUESTIONABLE Jayson Tatum – Right Achilles Repair – OUT
Blazers Limping In with a Laundry List of Woes
Portland’s not exactly strolling into Boston at full strength either—they’re waving the white flag on six key players for Monday’s showdown. Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley, and Duop Reath are all scratched, leaving the Blazers’ bench looking thinner than a dime.
Add to that two more question marks: Deni Avdija’s battling a lower back strain, while ex-Celtic Robert Williams is iffy with left knee injury management. Williams hasn’t squared off against his old squad since that blockbuster trade to Portland three years back—talk about unfinished business.
And get this: Former Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is making his triumphant return to TD Garden. After just 18 games in green this season before getting shipped out in the offseason, Holiday’s balling out in Portland, dropping 15.4 points and dishing 7.1 assists per game. Expect a hero’s welcome… or at least a standing O from the faithful.
The Blazers’ tweet had ’em touching down in Beantown with that classic road-trip vibe:
Portland Trail Blazers: Touched down in Boston📍
What the Season Series Tells Us
This one’s the rubber match, closing out the two-game set between these squads. Portland snagged the first W back in late December, edging Boston by six in a gritty affair. The C’s have had their hands full with the Blazers in recent years—Monday’s their shot to settle the score and flip the script before February hits.
Sitting at 23-23, Portland’s clinging to the ninth spot in the loaded Western Conference. Don’t sleep on ’em though—they’ve ripped off seven wins in their last ten, scrapping like underdogs even with that monster injury bug biting hard.
Boston? They’re humming at 28-17, locked in as the East’s No. 2 seed, just 5.5 games back of Detroit for the top perch. Without Tatum, Jaylen Brown’s been straight-up Superman, shouldering the load with 29.8 points, 6.6 boards, and 4.7 dimes per night. And yeah, he’s punching his ticket to his first All-Star start next month—deserved.
Check Brown’s scorching hot streak over the last five:
Jaylen Brown’s Last Five Games: ⚡️ 33 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK ⚡️ 27 PTS, 10 REB, 12 AST, 1 STL ⚡️ 30 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL ⚡️ 32 PTS, 11 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK ⚡️ 41 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK
The Bottom Line for Boston
The Celtics desperately need Queta back in the mix for this homestand—it’s prime time to pad that lead in the standings and create some breathing room. Losing him to this illness? That’d throw a wrench in the works big time. Minott’s potential comeback adds intrigue; the kid could bolster that frontcourt, especially if Williams keeps building on his solid debut minutes.
Bottom line: This is a golden opportunity for Boston to shake off that Chicago heartbreak against a banged-up but feisty Portland crew that’s already got one over on ’em this year. With Holiday’s homecoming adding extra spice, expect fireworks at TD Garden. The C’s should handle business, but in the NBA, you never know—strap in, folks!