Boston Celtics Game Tonight: Celtics vs Trail Blazers Injury Report, Starting Lineup, Predictions, TV Channel for March 17
The Boston Celtics got away with a win over the Timberwolves on Wednesday by the skin of their teeth, and on March 17, the Cs hope to honor St. Patrick with a victory on his unofficial holiday against the Blazers in Portland.
Against Minnesota, things came down to the very last minute. Grant Williams won a controversial jump ball over Rudy Gobert, and Jayson Tatum iced the game with two free throws in the final two seconds — being given an extra technical foul shot due to Gobert’s complaints about Williams potentially getting away with tapping the ball before it hit its peak in the air.
With a losing streak avoided, Boston now looks to continue its bid for the No. 1 seed in the conference as they take on a Blazers squad that has lost its last four games, including a March 8 loss to the Celtics at the TD Garden.
48-22. NBC Sports Boston. Celtics -4. 18. Friday, March 17. 31-38. 34. 10 PM ET
Portland Trail Blazers: 8th (ORtg), 27th (DRtg), 23rd (Pace), 24th (NRtg)
Boston Celtics: 4th (ORtg), 4th (DRtg), 18th (Pace), 2nd (NRtg)
Boston Celtics Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Marcus Smart, SG – Derrick White, SF – Jaylen Brown, PF – Jayson Tatum, C – Al Horford
Portland Trail Blazers Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Damian Lillard, SG – Anfernee Simons, SF – Matisse Thybulle, PF – Trendon Watford, C – Jusuf Nurkic
Boston Celtics vs Portland Trail Blazers Injury Report
Celtics SF Jayson Tatum (left hip contusion) – Questionable
Celtics C Robert Williams III (hamstring) – Out
Celtics PG Payton Pritchard (heel) – Out
Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard (right calf tightness) – Probable
Trail Blazers PF Jerami Grant (quadriceps) – Questionable
Boston Celtics vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction
The Blazers are quickly falling out of the postseason race in the Western Conference, currently sitting 3.5 games back of the No. 10 seed Thunder for the final NBA Play-in slot. Damian Lillard recently told JJ Redick how much he despises ring culture in the NBA, and while that is a legitimate argument pertaining to debates about who the greatest players are, it sounds like somewhat of an admission of defeat since Portland is so cold.
With or without Tatum in the lineup, the Celtics should take care of business in the Pacific Northwest Friday night.
Celtics 119 Trail Blazers 111