The Boston Celtics are back in third place in the Eastern Conference standings. For the second time this month, they did so by traveling north of the border and besting the Toronto Raptors.
The visitors earned a 112-96 win at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. That win occurred without Jaylen Brown. The former NBA Finals MVP missed the matchup due to a non-COVID illness.
Fortunately for Boston, it appears that Brown is trending in a positive direction. A day before welcoming the Indiana Pacers to TD Garden, the team's initial injury report lists him as questionable due to his illness.
The former All-NBA Second Team selection is averaging 29.3 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. He is also grabbing 6.3 rebounds and dishing out 5.0 assists. His play has earned him a spot on NBA.com's MVP ladder.
Celtics injury report vs. the Pacers
Monday's matchup is the first meeting this season between the two teams that squared off in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. In a surprising development for the hosts, they might be without Jordan Walsh.
Like Jaylen Brown, Boston lists him as questionable for the contest due to a non-COVID illness.
Walsh logged just 13 minutes in Saturday's win against the Raptors. He had four rebounds and a block in a scoreless performance. The third-year wing did not play in the second half.
The former Arkansas Razorback is averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals this season. His ascent has led to him starting in 16 straight games, including Saturday's. Now, that streak is in jeopardy, even if he suits up.
The only other player on the Celtics' injury report is Jayson Tatum. Both the Celtics and the Pacers are managing star players who are returning from a torn Achilles tendon.
As Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton do so, they have found comfort in discussing their rehab with each other. The same goes for sharing updates and encouragement with players like Dejounte Murray, who are in a similar position.
However, there is a difference between Haliburton's road to recovery and Tatum's. The former is out for the season. There is no speculation about him potentially returning during the current campaign.
Jayson Tatum is pushing himself to rejoin the lineup this season. As he does so, Dr. Kevin R. Stone, an orthopedic surgeon at The Stone Clinic and a leading expert in Achilles tendon repair, offered his insight into whether it's realistic and a wise decision in an informative conversation with Hardwood Houdini.
With the door remaining open for him to return, it's also a subject Brad Stevens recently addressed.