The Boston Celtics are set to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night at TD Garden. The two teams last met earlier this month, with Boston securing a 128-118 victory behind standout performances from Derrick White (41 points) and Payton Pritchard (43 points).
Keeping their starters healthy has been a challenge for the defending champions all season. In their previous matchup against Portland, the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis. That trend continues Sunday, with Jaylen Brown, Holiday, and Porzingis ruled out.
Tatum was initially listed as questionable on Saturday's injury report due to right knee tendinopathy.
However, the six-time All-Star has now been upgraded to "available" and will suit up for the game.
Tatum, who missed the team's game against the Brooklyn Nets, returned to play against the Utah Jazz, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
Celtics Injury Report Update vs. Portland (3/23):
Jrue Holiday - Right Shoulder Impingement - OUT
Kristaps Porzingis - Return from Illness Reconditioning - OUT
Jayson Tatum - AVAILABLE https://t.co/glfzehji28
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 23, 2025
By playing his 65th regular season game on Saturday, Tatum will meet the eligibility criteria for major NBA awards and honors, including MVP and All-NBA teams.
In his seventh season, he is averaging 27.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, while shooting 45.4% from the field. He is also likely to finish with a 25+ point average this season, becoming the only Celtics player in history to average 25+ points in four consecutive seasons.
The Celtics remain focused on winning back-to-back titles, aiming to become the first team to do so since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-18. Boston currently holds the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference, five games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the series tie-breaker.
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This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 2:48 PM.