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Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on January 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Another tough test is in store for the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. They are set to pay a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a March 12 matchup.
When the Celtics announced their injury report, the team made it clear that Jayson Tatum had a shot at getting the night off. He was questionable due to Achilles injury management. Tatum recently made his season debut.
For the first time since suiting up for the Celtics this season, Tatum will take the night off. He was ruled out on Thursday afternoon.
Although the Celtics have been thriving in the absence of Tatum, he’s been quite productive since he’s been back. Despite the rust with his shot (39% from the field), Tatum has been averaging 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
More Celtics News: Celtics Make Final Decision on Jayson Tatum Status vs Thunder
Once again, they’ll have to compete without him. And Tatum wasn’t the only player on the injury report.
Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Nikola Vucevic, and Derrick White were all listed alongside Tatum.
As expected, Vucevic will get the night off. He is out for at least several weeks of action. The Celtics hope to get their deadline acquisition back in time for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Pritchard and Scheierman were cleared for action, while White was a question mark for most of the day.
Unfortunately, White will not get the nod to play. He was listed as out due a knee issue.
Boston Celtics Reveal Starting Lineup vs OKC Thunder
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 08: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden on March 08, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 111-101. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Boston will roll out a starting five that includes Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta.
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Lineup alert: Celtics will start Pritchard, Scheierman, Brown, Hauser, Queta on Thursday.
The Celtics are looking to bounce back.
While they’ve been hot lately, the Celtics recently suffered a loss against the San Antonio Spurs. After losing their star forward, Jaylen Brown, to an ejection early on, the Celtics couldn’t come out on top. Yet, they are 7-3 over the last 10 games.
At this point in the year, the Celtics hold a 43-22 record. They are the Eastern Conference’s second seed, trailing the Detroit Pistons by 3.5 games.
Even without Tatum all season long, the Celtics thrived in what many considered to be a wide-open conference. This week’s slate is giving the Celtics a big test to see if they can compete with the best in the West. After getting the No. 2 seed, the Celtics are facing the 51-15 Thunder, who hold the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The Celtics and the Thunder are slated for a 9:30 PM ET tip.
After the Thunder matchup, the Celtics will head back home to host the Washington Wizards on Saturday, March 14.