On Saturday, the NBA world witnessed a repeat of the 2024 Finals. The Boston Celtics once again dominated the Dallas Mavericks with a blowout win. Riding high on confidence, the defending champions have a fresh challenge ahead of them. They face one of the hottest teams in the league, the Houston Rockets. Yes, the same team that defeated the mighty Cavaliers in back-to-back games. So, it’s undoubtedly an exciting game to watch out for.

Well, it’s not exactly the same for the players in the Celts’ locker room. Over the last few weeks, the Celts have had a sloppy run. Amid their dominant performances, Jayson Tatum & Co. has managed to lose some of the easy games. Notably, in the last 7 games, they have lost against teams like the Hawks, Raptors, and blowout loss against the Lakers. So, taking on the in-form Rockets is indeed a tough job for the Celts.

Amid this equation, let’s find out if the Celtics have the injury report in their favor. Throughout the season, the Celts have had multiple combinations of their starting lineup, as at least one of their starting lineup unit missed out on that particular night. And tonight’s challenge isn’t any different either. The team’s lethal guard, known for his shot-blocking skills, Derrick White is less likely to lace up, as the team has listed him in the Questionable category, citing right shin contusion.

Apart from him, the team also added veteran forward Al Horford to the Questionable category with a left big toe sprain. No, the team hasn’t listed Jayson Tatum on the report. He is available for action tonight. Now that we looked at the injury situation, let’s take a brief look at how it will impact the game.

Jayson Tatum & Co.: Starting Lineup and Depth Chart

Without a doubt, Derrick White and Al Horford’s absence is a huge setback for the side, as it exposes the team’s thin depth in the backcourt. With Holiday and White taking care of the perimeter defense, the Celts look lethal on defensive possessions. In some cases, Brown had replaced the 30-year-old in the backcourt in his absence while Horford took charge in the frontcourt. Unfortunately, the team might miss out on both of these players, Joe Mazzulla has no option left other than playing without a defender.

On the other hand, Pritchard isn’t a sloppy defender either. So, the Celts just have to look at their best available options and ride the game. Moreover, the team will need Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to fire, considering their underwhelming run in the last few games. Notably, it’s been 5 games since JT scored above 24 points. Considering the standard set by himself, Tatum might have to set up in this crucial game against the Rockets. Who do you think will win tonight? Let us know in the comments.