Joe Mazzulla
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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla during a game against the Detroit Pistons in October 2025
Following a disappointing loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, the Boston Celtics return to TD Garden on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers, hoping to steady themselves.
At 28-17 and sitting second in the Eastern Conference, Boston will be eager to get back into the win column. That task, however, may be complicated by a growing injury report.
Jayson Tatum remains sidelined with a long-term Achilles injury, while Neemias Queta is listed as questionable as he continues to deal with illness.
Josh Minott has been upgraded to questionable as he works his way back from an ankle issue, but a late addition has raised fresh concern.
Boston Celtics Face Frontcourt Uncertainty
The Celtics have now added Luka Garza to the injury report as questionable, potentially leaving Boston thin in the frontcourt with both primary center options battling illness.
Two-way center Amari Williams earned the start against Chicago after his late game heroics in Friday’s double-overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets, starting ahead of both Queta and Garza.
His opportunity was limited, however, as he logged just 10 minutes and finished with two points, two rebounds, and one block.
Williams has impressed at the G League level with the Maine Celtics and flashed promise in brief NBA appearances, but his first official start offered little opportunity to make a sustained impact.
That said, a second straight start could be on the table against Portland. If Queta and Garza are ruled out or limited, head coach Joe Mazzulla may have little choice but to lean on Williams again.
Boston could also opt to downsize and play small, but any approach will still have to account for Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, who currently ranks third in the NBA in total rebounds (459) and leads the league in offensive boards (185).
Trade Deadline Looms as Center Questions Persist
As the February 5 trade deadline approaches, the Celtics’ search for help at center appears to be intensifying.
“They’ve been in the marketplace, trying to go get a big-time starting center potentially,” ESPN’s Shams Charania recently said on The Pat McAfee Show. “So, they’re gonna be, I think, aggressive in moving the needle. They’ve got assets, they’ve got contracts to use and play with.”
Several names have already emerged, with Forbes’ Evan Sidery reporting that Boston’s internal shortlist includes Ivica Zubac, Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu, and Daniel Gafford.
Other players have also been linked to the Celtics, including New Orleans Pelicans big man Yves Missi and Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr., though the cost of acquiring the latter would likely be prohibitive.
Zubac, in particular, fits the profile of a “big-time starting center” and continues to surface in trade talk, even as uncertainty remains around his availability.
ClutchPoints’ Tom Azarly has also reported potential Clippers interest in Anfernee Simons, who is arguably Boston’s most tradable asset on a $27.6 million expiring contract, a factor that could help create a viable framework for discussions.
For a Celtics team firmly set in the title picture, reinforcing the middle could prove decisive.
Adding a dependable rim protector would not only help stabilize the rotation during Tatum’s continued absence, but could also serve as a defining piece for a postseason run alongside Jaylen Brown’s MVP-level play once the roster is whole again.