Celtics list five on latest injury report, rule out two key players vs. Raptors
The Celtics will be missing at least two important pieces when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
The Celtics will be missing at least two important pieces when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
Boston ruled out starting Jrue Holiday (rest) and rotation big Luke Kornet (personal reasons) against Toronto. Al Horford (left big toe sprain) was listed as questionable.
The 34-year-old Holiday missed the final four games before the NBA All-Star break with a lingering shoulder injury. The Celtics are taking steps to keep the standout defender fresh for the postseason.
Kornet has been excellent off the bench and in spot start duty of late, ranking fourth among all qualified NBA players in net rating this season. It’s unclear whether his absence will influence Boston’s plan for Horford, who does not play both ends of back-to-backs (nor does starting center Kristaps Porzingis).
If Horford sits against the Raptors, Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman would become the next men up on the frontcourt depth chart behind Porzingis. Queta missed Sunday’s win over the New York Knicks with an illness. Tillman, an end-of-the-bench player for most of this season, missed the last four with left knee inflammation. Both are listed as probable for Tuesday’s matchup.
After visiting the Raptors, who own the NBA’s fifth-worst record and have lost six of their last eight games, the Celtics will take on a red-hot Pistons squad in Detroit on Wednesday. The Pistons are 8-2 in their last 10 and already have won as many games (31-26) as they did in the last two seasons combined.