ORLANDO — According to Boston Celtics PR, Jaylen Brown is AVAILABLE to play on Sunday night in Game 4 against the Orlando Magic, after initially being listed as questionable. Brown has been dealing with lingering knee issues for the last couple of months and even had to get injections to help the injury before the postseason. He was questionable to play in Game 3, but was eventually upgraded to available.
Jrue Holiday is OUT for Game 4 of the series. It marks the second straight game the Celtics guard will have missed with a right hamstring strain. He was crucial to Boston's success in the first two games of the series, particularly in Game 2, when he took on a large playmaking role with Jayson Tatum sidelined.
Now, the Celtics will have to try to take a 3-1 series lead without Holiday.
Celtics injury report vs. Magic for Game 4: Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday - OUT - Right hamstring strain
Jaylen Brown - AVAILABLE - Right posterior knee impingement
Meanwhile, Tatum is nowhere to be found on the injury report. He missed Game 2 after taking a hard fall in Game 1, leading to a wrist injury. Tatum was originally doubtful to play in Game 3, but was eventually upgraded to questionable then available.
Holiday's absence proved to be a huge factor in the Celtics' Game 3 loss to the Magic. They desperately missed him on both sides of the ball.
Boston turned the ball over 19 times (21, if you include Tatum's traveling and carrying violations), and they could have used Holiday's steady hand as a facilitator.
Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Holiday has been one of the Celtics' best Paolo Banchero- and Franz Wagner-stoppers this series. Without him, they were left to pick on other, more advantageous one-on-one matchups, including Kristaps Porzingis.
That said, with Holiday dealing with a hamstring strain, the Celtics will just have to find ways around the issue.
"Yeah, it is different," Horford said in Orlando on Sunday morning when asked about playing without Holiday. "We talked about this before, different guys, we all need to step up a little more and find a way. Jrue does so much for us, but right now, we have to face things the way that they are now, and we have to find a way now."
Orlando doubled down on their defensive strategies in Game 3, taking away the three-ball from Boston and living with more one-on-one matchups. On Friday, that was enough to take them out of their rhythm.
Magic injury report vs. Celtics for Game 4: Mo Wagner, Jalen Suggs
Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner are both OUT for Game 4. They both suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the year.
Jalen Suggs - OUT - Left knee trochlea cartilage tear
Mo Wagner - OUT - Torn left ACL