Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) brings the ball up court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Friday, March 21, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) brings the ball up court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Friday, March 21, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)Rick Egan/Associated Press
The Celtics and the Trail Blazers, both on four-game win streaks, will fight for a fifth straight victory as Portland hosts Boston on Sunday evening.
Boston is coming off a comfortable 121-99 win over the Jazz on Friday.
Meanwhile, Portland (32-39) is making a late bid for a play-in berth after pulling to within two games of the 10th-place Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference the weekend.
The Trail Blazers’ four-game winning streak at home was capped by a 128-109 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Boston will be without Jaylen Brown for the second consecutive game due to a bone bruise and posterior impingement in his right knee.
Brown’s 22.8 scoring average ranks second for the defending champions, behind Jayson Tatum’s 27.1 points per game.
Jayson Tatum (right knee tendiopathy), Jrue Holiday (right shoulder impingement), and Kristaps Porzingis (return from illness conditioning) are all questionable.
The Celtics (51-19) have all but sealed up a top-two spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but they are showing no signs of letting up with nine wins over their past 10 outings.
Here’s your preview.
When: Sunday, 6 p.m.
Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland, Ore.
TV, radio: NBCSB, WBZ-FM 98.5
Line: Boston -10. O/U: 223.5.
CELTICS
Season record: 51-19. vs. spread: 32-38. Over/under: 31-38, 1 push
Last 10 games: 9-1. vs. spread: 6-4. Over/under: 4-6
TRAIL BLAZERS
Season record: 32-39. vs. spread: 41-29, 1 push. Over/under: 34-35, 2 pushes
Last 10 games: 5-5. vs. spread: 6-4. Over/under: 3-6, 1 push
TEAM STATISTICS
Points per game: Boston 116.5, Portland 110.9
Points allowed per game: Boston 107.9, Portland 113.9
Field goal percentage: Boston .462, Portland .452
Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .453, Portland .469
3-point percentage: Boston .368, Portland .347
Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .350, Portland .361
Stat of the day: The Celtics are 5-0 in their last five games against the Trail Blazers.
Notes: Kristaps Porzingis scored 27 points as the Celtics kicked off their six-game western swing on Friday ... With Portland severely undermanned against Denver -- missing Anfernee Simons (illness), Deandre Ayton (calf), Jerami Grant (knee), Donovan Clingan (illness) and Jabari Walker (concussion), Deni Avdija stepped up (36 points, eight rebounds and seven assists) ... The Celtics are 19-4 since late January ... DeAndre Ayton (left calf strain) is out for the Trail Blazers.
Rumsha Siddiqui can be reached at rumsha.siddiqui@globe.com. Follow her on X @rumshasidd.