In a stunning twist that has fans on edge, the Boston Celtics have slapped questionable tags on star forward Jaylen Brown and rising talent Jordan Walsh due to illnesses, just hours before their 7:30 p.m. showdown with the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Adding to the drama, All-Star Jayson Tatum continues his sidelined stint as he rehabbs from an Achilles injury.
Brown, who’s been a ironman this season, already sat out Saturday’s gritty victory over the Toronto Raptors—only his second absence all year. Meanwhile, Walsh kicked off that game as a starter in Toronto but vanished from the court after halftime, felled by the same nagging illness.
Should either—or both—of these key pieces be scratched from the lineup, the Celtics are primed to unleash their deep bench of wing weapons. Look for increased burn from sharpshooter Sam Hauser, versatile Josh Minott, breakout sensation Hugo Gonzalez, and rookie Baylor Scheierman. Gonzalez, in particular, has been on fire over the past two outings, delivering career-high performances that could prove pivotal in crunch time.
Riding high on a two-game winning streak—including that dominant takedown of the Raptors—the Celtics sit at 17-11, locked into third place in the Eastern Conference. This week looms large as a golden chance to pad their record, with Monday’s home tilt against the Pacers followed by a Friday road rematch.
On the flip side, Indiana stumbles in at a dismal 6-22, languishing in 14th in the East. The Pacers, who shocked the league with a Cinderella run to the 2025 NBA Finals, have been decimated by injuries this year. The biggest blow? Superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton, who’s been ruled out for the entire season with a devastating Achilles tear.