Celtics-Pistons Injury Report: The Latest on Sam Hauser's Availability

Bobby Krivitsky | Oct 25, 2024

May 21, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) warms up before the start of game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Thursday, the Celtics spoiled the Wizards' season opener, earning a 122-102 win in the nation's capital.

Boston did so without Sam Hauser, who's dealing with lower back pain. The six-foot-eight sharpshooter shared before tip-off that it's an ailment he has dealt with on and off since the summer.

Sam Hauser has been dealing with on and off back pain going back to the summer. Woke up feeling it today but didn’t feel anything on opening night pic.twitter.com/qWuzaEZq26

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) October 24, 2024

"It's a day-to-day thing," said Joe Mazzulla pregame. "He's getting better, working at it every day, and we'll see how he progresses."

A day later, the Celtics ruled out Hauser for Saturday's tilt against the Pistons in the Motor City.

"We have the flexibility and the depth to go different routes," conveyed Mazzulla about navigating Hauser's absence. "It might not necessarily be a wing, it could be a guard, it could be a big, it just depends on what the matchups are in those second units."

Thursday night in D.C., Mazzulla leaned into the reigning champions' depth at the center position, cycling through double-big lineups featuring Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman Sr., paired Al Horford with Neemias Queta, and deployed the latter alongside Tillman.

Capitalizing on his opportunity for extended floor time, Queta responded with 12 points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes, including wreaking havoc on the offensive glass, extending four possessions, which matched Marvin Bagley III for the most in the matchup.

"I have trust in whoever we call that they'll be ready to play, just cause of the work that they put in and things that they do," said Mazzulla. "So, it's gotta be everybody by committee, depending upon what the game needs at that particular time."

Kristaps Porzingis, who is rehabbing from left posterior tibialis tendon surgery and aiming for a December return, is again the only other player on the Celtics' injury report. His absence is another path to playing time for members of Boston's "Stay Ready Group," like Queta.

Saturday night's game between the Celtics and Pistons will tip off at 7 p.m. EST at Little Caesars Arena.