Celtics Injury Report: Two Key Starters Status Revealed for NBA Cup Matchup with Hawks

Ricardo Klein | Nov 12, 2024

Nov 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and center Al Horford (42) help up Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics will have two of their key starters available for the team's first game of the 2024 NBA Cup.

The Celtics have made forwards Jayson Tatum and Al Horford available for their game against the Hawks.

Injury Report update:

Al Horford - AVAILABLE
Kristaps Porzingis (left posterior tibialis tendon surgery rehabilitation) - OUT
Jaden Springer (left knee tendinopathy) - OUT
Jayson Tatum - AVAILABLE https://t.co/yMoKmlNor2

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 12, 2024

Tatum and Horford were questionable on Monday, but they will be ready to go tonight.

Tatum is available on Tuesday after he rolled this ankle on what should've been a Flagrant 1 on Giannis Antetokounmpo during Sunday's win over Milwaukee. Luckily, he isn't going to miss Tuesday's game and finished the contest on Sunday, where he recorded 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in 40 minutes. 

Although he has been given the green light, head coach Joe Mazzulla may be cautious with the forward's minutes, as it's the first night of a back-to-back set for Boston.

As for Horford, he was upgraded from questionable to available despite dealing with a left big toe sprain. The veteran big man is averaging 8.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in 28.4 minutes across his last five appearances.

Horford may be out on the court tonight, but he will likely miss Wednesday's back-to-back against the Brooklyn Nets.

Although the Celtics have their two key starters in this game, they will be without forward Jaden Springer due to left knee tendinopathy.

Springer will miss his second straight contest Tuesday after being downgraded from questionable to out due to left knee tendinopathy. His next chance to suit up is Wednesday's matchup with Brooklyn.

Their other star forward, Kristaps Porziņģis, is still ruled out, and that will be the case until at least next month as he rehabs from left posterior tibialis tendon surgery.

The Celtics will host the Hawks for their first 2024 NBA Cup group stage game.

This is the first of four games in the group stage. The Celtics are in East Group C, which features the Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Hawks, and Washington Wizards. The Celtics' road to the cup is in their favor outside of the Cavaliers, who currently have the best record in the league at 12-0.

According to FaDuel, the Celtics have the best odds of +400 to win the trophy and the $500,000 prize per player. 

Boston is looking forward to getting the job done this year after coming up short last season, and it will all start tonight against the Hawks.

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