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The Boston Celtics will look to bounce back to winning ways when they host the Atlanta Hawks at the TD Garden on Sunday (November 26). The Eastern Conference powerhouse were stunned 113-96 by the Orlando Magic earlier this week. They also saw big man Kristaps Porzingis suffer a calf injury during the game, following which he was ruled out for the remainder of the evening.
The Celtics will be without their center against the Hawks. While he addressed the status of his calf niggle, the team will look to rest him so as to not aggravate the injury. In addition, Boston has also listed Jrue Holiday as questionable ahead of Sunday's matchup.
The guard suffered an ankle sprain when playing against his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks. He also missed out on playing against the Magic. The franchise will now look to pull off a win against Atlanta without two of their star players.
Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have proved to be a vital cog in the Boston Celtics lineup this season
The Boston Celtics pulled off their first big move in the offseason when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis. The Washington Wizards big was involved in a three-team trade which included the Memphis Grizzlies.
The move saw him head to the C's along with the No. 25 pick, and the 2024 first-round pick (via Warriors). In return, the Grizzlies received Marcus Smart, and the Wizards received the No. 35 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala. Since his arrival in Boston, Porzingis has averaged 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
Jrue Holiday was part of the blockbuster trade that landed Damian Lillard in Milwaukee to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. Initially traded to the Portland Blazers, the Celtics acquired him four days later in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams and two first-round picks to further bolster their lineup. This season, the guard is averaging 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.9 rebounds. His defensive abilities make him the perfect replacement for Smart.
With Porzingis and Holiday, Boston made a clinical start to the season with 12 wins in 16 games and taking the first place in the East. They will hope that both their defensive stars will be available for the team's upcoming In-Season tournament clash against the Chicago Bulls, followed by a skirmish with reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
