Celtics Injury Report: Ex-Grizzlies Forward Could Finally Make His C’s Debut vs Bulls

The Boston Celtics will be facing the Chicago Bulls tomorrow in their first game after the All-Star Break. And it looks like their trade deadline acquisition, Xavier Tillman, might finally get his debut. Ahead of the deadline, the Celtics had traded reserve forward Lamar Stevens and a pair of second-round draft picks to the Grizzlies to address their frontcourt depth.

And their solution was bringing in the backup big man of Memphis, Tillman. According to the latest update by Karalis of Boston Sports Journal, Tillman has been stated as being available vs Chicago.

Tillman has recently just come off a knee injury. Along with him, the team’s other deadline acquisition, Jaden Springer from the 76ers has also been listed as questionable. With the arrival of these two defensively skilled players, the Celtics hope to get their services more during the playoffs time.

But as mentioned above, Tillman can also find himself called upon on some nights like tomorrow. He can also expect to take the floor when the Cs’ default big man, Kristaps Porzingis, or veteran center Al Horford might be unavailable. Anyway, there is no doubt that his defensive acumen will prove to be quite welcome at Boston.

Xavier Tillman’s injury history

The 25-year-old was selected as the 35th pick in the second round of the 2020 draft season by the Sacramento Kings. He was traded to the Grizzlies on the trade night itself. And since then, he’s played for both Memphis and the Memphis Hustle (G League) until he was traded to Boston.

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Although he hasn’t been affected by injuries too much, Tillman’s knee has been giving him trouble since November of 2023. He hasn’t played since January 29th and at the time, he was still a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.He has been a solid player for the ‘Volunteer State,’ helping them become a playoff team in the West.

And now, being part of an elite and star-studded top seed of the Eastern Conference, Xavier Tillman might just get his first ring. The Boston Celtics, for their part, will expect nothing less than brilliance from the 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year!

After all, the Cs are not lacking in depth nor are they in any want of scorers. So, all Tillman has to do is play his part in one of the best teams in the NBA.

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