The Boston Celtics host the Indiana Pacers Monday night at TD Garden. It's their last contest before Christmas. It's also a chance to extend their winning streak to three games before an extended road trip that includes four matchups on the West Coast.
As the Celtics aim for an early holiday present in the form of another victory, they got good news on the health front. In their latest update to the injury report, the team announced that Jaylen Brown has gone from questionable to available for Monday's game against the Pacers.
The four-time All-Star missed Saturday's 112-96 win over the Toronto Raptors due to a non-COVID illness. Now, Boston will have him back in the lineup before a challenging stretch gets underway after Christmas.
Jordan Walsh's status for Monday's Celtics-Pacers game
While one starter returns for Boston, another might be out on Monday against Indiana.
Like Brown, Jordan Walsh is dealing with a non-COVID illness -- a reminder that the holiday season often overlaps with the peak of flu season.
The third-year wing is questionable to play vs. the Pacers. Walsh logged just 13 minutes in Saturday's victory vs. the Raptors north of the border. He did not score but did grab four rebounds and register a rejection. The former Arkansas Razorback did not play in the second half.
Walsh dealt with early adversity, not playing to start the season before ascending into the Celtics' starting lineup. The 21-year-old is averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He has started in 16 straight games, including Saturday's at Scotiabank Arena. That could potentially change even if he is available to play on Monday.
The only other individual listed on Boston's injury report is Jayson Tatum. The four-time All-NBA First Team selection is working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon. Last week, Brad Stevens addressed the possibility of his returning this season.
"The reality is he's not going to be back until he's 110 percent healthy, and he feels good about it, and that's a big part of it, right?" stated the Celtics' president of basketball operations. "Obviously, he's itching to play. Obviously, he hates watching, but he's also -- I don't want to speak for him, but [he's] very cognizant of the need to meet every threshold and why there are those things that are put in place. We've had a lot of great talks about it."
While the Pacers quickly declared Tyrese Haliburton would not play this season due to the same injury as Tatum, the Celtics continue to leave the door open for their star to return.