The Boston Celtics have been on a roll since before the All-Star break, with their latest win coming over the New York Knicks. Boston absolutely steamrolled New York at TD Garden, despite a third-quarter run bringing the Knicks within striking distance and a fruitless last-second run closing the gap from a 20-point win to a 118-105 victory.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors have been floating around the bottom of the Eastern Conference for most of the year, primarily due to a bad case of the injury bug. They made a spicy move at the trade deadline, adding Brandon Ingram, but even he has missed a bunch of time this year (and is still out).
Here is the Celtics injury report for their game against the Raptors on Tuesday, February 25.
Celtics injury report vs. Raptors on Tuesday, February 25
- Kristaps Porzingis DOUBTFUL (non-covid illness)
- Jrue Holiday OUT (rest)
- Luke Kornet OUT (personal reasons)
- Al Horford OUT (left big toe sprain)
- Neemias Queta AVAILABLE (non-covid illness)
- Xavier Tillman AVAILABLE (left knee inflammation)
Raptors injury report vs. Celtics on Tuesday, February 25
- Jakob Poeltl OUT (hip)
- Brandon Ingram OUT (ankle)
- Gradey Dick PROBABLE (thigh)
After a couple of games of great health, the Celtics have a relatively lengthy injury report heading into their game on Tuesday against the Raptors.
Kristaps Porzingis was a game-time addition to the injury report. He is doubtful to play with a non-covid illness.
Jrue Holiday will not play on Tuesday night due to rest. He missed four leading into the All-Star break with a right shoulder impingement. Holiday has been playing incredibly well lately, highlighted by his important defensive play while guarding the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid.
Giving him some extra rest down the stretch of the regular season will be smart for keeping him fresh for the postseason.
Al Horford was questionable to play against the Raptors due to the same left big toe sprain that has been nagging him for the last two years but has been downgraded to out. (This is effectively the Celtics’ way of resting Horford.)
On top of that, Luke Kornet is out on Tuesday night due to personal reasons. And to round out the Celtics’ big man rotation, Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman were both probable to play against the Raptors, Quetta with a non-covid illness and Tillman with left knee inflammation, but both have since been upgraded to probable.
For the Raptors, Jakob Poeltl missed their last game, and there has been no update regarding his status, making him virtually questionable to play against the Celtics.
Brandon Ingram is still out while recovering from the ankle injury that has hampered him for the last couple of months. Rookie Ulrich Chomche is also out with an MCL tear.
Toronto acquired PJ Tucker at the deadline, but he has not yet joined the team and remains out.
Projected starting lineups for Celtics vs. Raptors
This is likely what the Celtics will roll with:
- Derrick White
- Jaylen Brown
- Jayson Tatum
- Sam Hauser
- Kristaps Porzingis
Here is what the Raptors’ first five could look like:
- Immanuel Quickley
- Gradey Dick
- RJ Barrett
- Scottie Barnes
- Orlando Robinson