For the first time since confetti graced the air, the Boston Celtics are back at TD Garden on Saturday night. They will welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to town for their first stateside preseason game. Boston opened up their preseason with two games against the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi, but now, they’re back in town.
Al Horford didn’t appear in either of the games the Celtics played in the Middle East, but Joe Mazzulla ensured there isn’t cause for concern. Horford is simply “ramping up” for the season. Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis remains out for (close to) the rest of the calendar year.
This is what the injury reports look like for Celtics vs. 76ers on Saturday, October 12.
Celtics injury report vs. 76ers on October 12
- Kristaps Porzingis OUT (foot)
- Al Horford OUT (rest)
76ers injury report vs. Celtics on October 12
- Joel Embiid OUT (rest)
- Paul George OUT (rest)
- Tyrese Maxey OUT (rest)
Update (8:08 ET): Though there has been no official update, it seems as though none of the 76ers' regular rotation players will be playing. That includes Embiid, George, Maxey, Caleb Martin, Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond, among others.
Heading into the contest, the Celtics’ injury report looks normal, as Porzingis is the only player listed. He had offseason surgery to repair a torn medial retinaculum, which allowed for dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg. It’s a very rare injury he sustained in the NBA Finals, though he still managed to make a cameo in Game 5.
Porzingis is expected to return to the court sometime in December, though there is no exact timeline.
As for the 76ers, Joel Embiid is still listed on the injury report from their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. He did not travel to Minnesota, with the team citing rest as his reason for sitting out.
76ers starters might not play vs. Celtics
However, according to the Timberwolves’ play-by-play announcer, Alan Horton, the 76ers may plan to rest some of their stars against the Celtics on Saturday.
“Nick Nurse says Paul George will play & start tonight vs. Wolves,” Horton tweeted. “He said most of the vets would play tonight & rest tomorrow in Boston on 2nd of a back to back.”
Nick Nurse says Paul George will play & start tonight vs. Wolves. He said most of the vets would play tonight & rest tomorrow in Boston on 2nd of a back to back.
— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio) October 11, 2024
Though Embiid didn’t play on Friday night, if Nick Nurse’s plan is to rest his stars against the Celtics, that could mean the big man may be out for a second game in a row.
At the very least, Nurse’s message probably means that George won’t be seeing the floor much, if at all, in Boston on Saturday.
George, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin, and Andre Drummond all played over 23 minutes on Friday, and both George and Maxey cracked the 26-minute mark.