Celtics vs Hawks: Injury Report, Depth Chart, and More Before East’s NBA Cup Collision

The flashbacks from their previous clash will haunt the Atlanta Hawks. A deficit of 30 points separated the Hawks and the reigning champions. And they’ll be facing the Boston Celtics once again tomorrow. Adding salt to their wounds, the Hawks would face them at the TD Garden. To play the C’s at their bastion adds a lot of pressure. It isn’t your regular season game, well it is, but this match brings back in-tournament action. It’ll be the opening match of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024.

The Hawks have dropped to 11th place in the Eastern Conference after losing to the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons. Their only real highlight so far this season was a solid win against the New York Knicks at home. Otherwise, it’s been a tough stretch for Atlanta.

With a 9-2 start to the season, the Celtics have carried over their success from last year. The losses they’ve had, to the Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors, are not a major concern. The C’s faced the Warriors without Jaylen Brown.

But for this rematch, the Hawks have a lot of players out injured. Six players on the injury report are concerning and they are even missing their star Trae Young for this matchup. The Hawks are facing a major setback without Young, who was a surprise addition to the injury report. Recently, he’s been playing a lot of minutes, stepping up as many teammates have been out.

Keaton Wallace, a leading player who has logged the most minutes in the league, is a potential starter.

Can the Hawks even make a dent without Trae Young?

Young’s absence will be felt as this marks his first missed game of the season. Ice Trae is out against the C’s In the Hawks’ 125-113 loss to the Bulls on Saturday, he posted 14 points and 16 assists in 38 minutes. Despite shooting just 39% so far, his leadership remains vital. He leads the Eastern Conference with an impressive 11.5 assists per game.

The Hawks are also missing several key players, including Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Andre Hunter are out as well. Bogdanovic is sidelined with a hamstring injury. The player, an eight-year NBA veteran, has been an important contributor off Atlanta’s bench. Over his five seasons with the Hawks, he’s averaged 15.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. His shooting from beyond the arc stands at 39.1 percent, making him a reliable option for the team.

Meanwhile, Hunter’s absence was initially due to knee inflammation. However, it’s later revealed that he’s out for personal reasons after recently welcoming a child.

Additionally, projected contributors Kobe Bufkin and Vit Krejci are likewise unavailable, leaving Atlanta short-handed against a tough opponent. Bufkin injured his right shoulder during practice a month ago, going through a right shoulder. He started treatment and rehab, but his return to playing is still ways off. Fortunately, his absence won’t significantly affect Atlanta’s rotation.

Krejci is dealing with an adductor injury and will probably remain out for several more weeks, according to Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network. He’s scheduled for a re-evaluation this week but he’s not close to returning. Krejci had played double-digit minutes in each of his first four games this season before the injury.

Will the Celtics repeat what happened at their previous meeting?

The Celtics themselves are also shorthanded. Two starters have been added to their worrisome injury report. Although he is questionable for the game, their superstar Jayson Tatum finds himself in the report after dueling with the Greek Freak in the last match. Tatum injured his foot after landing on Antetokounmpo’s during Sunday’s 113-107 victory in Milwaukee. Despite the injury, he stayed in the game, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. A remarkable 23 of those points came in the second half. So far, Tatum has played in all 11 games for the Celtics this season and led the NBA in total points heading into Monday.

Boston added 38-year-old big man Al Horford to the injury report due to a left big toe sprain. Since Horford no longer plays back-to-back games, Boston had already set him to sit out either Tuesday’s game at TD Garden or Wednesday’s in Brooklyn. Now, they list him as questionable for the game against Atlanta.

Kristaps Porzingis, still sidelined as he recovers from leg surgery in the offseason, and backup guard Jaden Springer, who is questionable with left knee tendinopathy, also appear on the Celtics’ injury list. Porzingis is out whereas Springer is questionable. On a positive note, Brown, who had missed four games due to a hip flexor strain, returned against Milwaukee and has now been removed from the report.

The Hawks have a difficult task ahead, as the Celtics’ three-point shooting makes them a tough opponent. In their last meeting, Boston largely controlled the game despite hitting only 33% from beyond the arc. With some expected improvement in their shooting, this matchup could present even more problems for Atlanta.