Celtics Star Wings Uncertain for Sunday’s Trail Blazers Game
Friday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics’ bench survived a late flurry from the Sacramento Kings, who, fighting for postseason positioning, erased a 14-point deficit in the final frame.
But Joe Mazzulla never flinched, sticking with his second unit despite them going for 0/10 in crunch time before their final possession.
That decision, like his choice not to take a timeout after De’Aaron Fox banked in a three to put the visitors ahead by one with 27 seconds left, paid off. Sam Hauser couldn’t finish through contact, but he stuck with the play, knocking the ball out of Keegan Murray’s hands and into Xavier Tillman Sr.’s, leading to the latter splashing a floater off two feet from the middle of the paint through the net for the game-winner.
A day after the C’s 101-100 victory vs. Sacramento, as they turn the page to Sunday’s matchup vs. the Portland Trail Blazers and continue pacing players down the final stretch of the regular season, their star wings are on their injury report.
Jayson Tatum, who registered 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 33 minutes against the Kings on Friday, is questionable due to a right knee contusion.
Jaylen Brown, who did not play vs. Sacramento, shares that status because of the left-hand sprain he’s dealing with.
Jaden Springer, who’s missed five straight games due to left knee tendinopathy, is also questionable for Sunday’s tilt vs. the Trail Blazers at TD Garden.