The Celtics are coming off four days of rest but enter Thursday’s game against the Pistons with a crowded injury report. The team listed four players dealing with ailments heading into the matchup with Detroit at TD Garden including All-Star Jayson Tatum. The Boston forward is currently listed as questionable due to right patella tendiopathy. That’s the same injury that sidelined Tatum last Wednesday against the Pistons. He played two games last weekend on a back-to-back after sitting out for the first time all season on Wednesday
Sam Hauser is the other notable name on the injury report for Boston. He left Saturday’s loss against the Grizzlies early due to a right adductor strain and is doubtful to play Thursday with the injury.
“I haven’t seen him yet but he’s doing a little bit better,” Joe Mazzulla said before Wednesday’s practice. “Adductor strain, so we’ll kind of see how he is today. He’s going to go through some stuff today and we’ll see how he responds tomorrow.”
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The Celtics have two more days off after Thursday’s game against Detroit and just play two games in a 11-day stretch beginning last Sunday so the team could opt to give Hauser some time to heal over the next two weeks.
Jaden Springer (non-COVID illness) and Jordan Walsh (rib contusion) also are listed as questionable on the injury report for Boston. Walsh played for the Maine Celtics on Sunday after receiving DNP-CDs in Boston’s last two games.
The Pistons will be completely healthy for the matchup and are coming off an impressive road win over the Knicks on Saturday that improved their record to 10-15 on the year. They put up a good fight against Boston last Wednesday, falling 130-120 at TD Garden. Boston now holds a 2-0 edge in the season series.
The Celtics and Pistons will tip off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at TD Garden.