Boston Celtics star duo Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are both listed as questionable according to the Celtics' injury report for the game against the Indiana Pacers. Holiday is nursing a right shoulder impingement and Porzingis has a left ankle sprain sustained during Wednesday's Christmas Day game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Porzingis sustained the injury in the first few minutes and, despite his best efforts, was unable to return for the second half. He finished the game with nine points, three assists, and two rebounds.
Jrue Holiday, unlike Porzingis, wasn't available for the Christmas Day game against the 76ers. He sustained a shoulder injury during Monday's game against the Orlando Magic and although initially listed as questionable for the game against Philly, his status was changed to "out" before tip-off.
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Holiday is averaging 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season. Meanwhile, Porzingis is averaging 19.6 rebounds, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
What's next for Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference?
For the first time this season, the Boston Celtics (22-8) have lost two consecutive games: the 108-104 loss against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 23 and the Christmas Day loss to the 76ers (118-114).
After 30 games, they are still the second seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Their next opponents, the Indiana Pacers, were on a five-game winning streak until falling 120-114 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Boxing Day. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 45 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists propelled them to their fourth straight victory after falling to the Bucks in the 2024 NBA Cup Finals.
The match-up against the Pacers will be their second meeting this season. The first on Oct. 30 ended in a 135-132 overtime win in favor of the Pacers at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Jayson Tatum led with a game-high 37 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Jaylen Brown scored 25 points, created five assists and made six rebounds.
The tip-off for Friday's game is slated for 7:30 pm EST on Friday at the TD Garden, Boston. Fans can catch the game on national TV via NBA TV and locally via NBC Sports Boston and FanDuel Sports Network - Indiana.
Boston Celtics Nation! You can check out the latest Boston Celtics Schedule and dive into the Celtics Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.