The Boston Celtics will close out their 2025-26 regular season on Sunday at TD Garden against the Orlando Magic, but the focus has shifted dramatically from celebration to concern. Just hours before what should have been a relatively low-stakes finale, the Celtics dropped a significant injury report that raises serious questions about their health and readiness heading into the playoffs.
According to Taylor Snow, the Celtics have ruled out several key contributors while placing others in doubt for the matchup:
- Jaylen Brown – Left Achilles Tendinitis – OUT
- Sam Hauser – Low Back Spasm – DOUBTFUL
- Payton Pritchard – Left Foot Plantar Fasciitis – DOUBTFUL
- Neemias Queta – Right Toe Sprain – OUT
- Jayson Tatum – Right Achilles Repair Management – OUT
- Nikola Vucevic – Right Ring Finger Fracture Management – DOUBTFUL
- Derrick White – Right Knee Contusion – OUT
This is a remarkably thin roster for a team that has championship aspirations. With Tatum, Brown, White, and Queta already sidelined, Boston’s core rotation will be heavily compromised, even if Hauser, Pritchard, and Vucevic are able to play in limited capacity.
The Celtics enter the final game as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 55-26 record after 81 games. They remain one of the league’s strongest home teams at 29-11 and have won eight of their last ten contests, including a dominant 144-118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in which Sam Hauser led the way with 24 points. That win also saw Boston tie an NBA record with 29 three-pointers made — a feat they have now accomplished twice this season.
Yet the injury cloud looms large. This is the same franchise that captured the 2024 NBA title and reached the Finals twice since 2022, only to suffer a disappointing second-round exit against the New York Knicks in the 2025 playoffs. With the postseason just days away, the timing of these ailments — particularly the Achilles-related issues for both Tatum and Brown — could not be more concerning.
On the other side, the Orlando Magic arrive in Boston riding high as the No. 7 seed with a 45-36 record. Fresh off a 127-103 road win over the Chicago Bulls, Orlando is on a five-game winning streak and sporting a respectable 19-19 record away from home. The Magic are motivated, as their playoff positioning remains fluid. According to CLNS’s Bobby Manning, the Magic currently hold a 51.2% chance of avoiding the play-in entirely, with several scenarios still in play involving the 76ers and Raptors.
Last season, Orlando fell to the Celtics in five games in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. This time around, a shorthanded Boston squad could present a more winnable matchup for a surging Magic team led by Paolo Banchero and company.
For the Celtics, Sunday’s game carries minimal regular-season stakes in terms of seeding but massive implications for momentum and health management. Coach Joe Mazzulla will likely prioritize caution with his available players, potentially resting or limiting those listed as doubtful to ensure they are as fresh as possible for the real season that begins next week.
The “bombshell” injury report serves as a stark reminder that even the most talented teams can be undone by the injury bug at the worst possible moment. As the Celtics prepare to host the Magic, all eyes will be on the final injury updates and how Boston manages its depleted lineup. A victory would be nice, but survival and preservation of key personnel for the playoffs are the true priorities in what has suddenly become a very tense afternoon at TD Garden.