Boston Celtics Injury Report: Latest on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s status for rematch against Brooklyn Nets (Mar. 18)

The Boston Celtics face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday in the fourth and final meeting between both teams this season. Boston, which won the season series with a 115-113 win on Saturday, will look to complete a sweep in the rematch. The Celtics head into the game with their two best players on the injury report.

Jaylen Brown will not play against the Nets after exiting early in their last game. The All-Star guard left with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter after suffering from back spasms. He finished the game with eight points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal.

Brown had already missed a few games this month because of a right knee posterior impingement. He will be in street clothes on Tuesday because of knee and back issues.

Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum is questionable because of right knee tendinopathy, an issue that has hounded him since early December. The All-Star forward already sat out two games in March to give the troublesome knee a rest.

The win against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday improved the Celtics’ record to 49-19 for second in the Eastern Conference. They are 7.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers in the battle for the top seed in their conference. The defending champs clinched a playoff berth after dispatching the Miami Heat 103-91 on Friday.

With a postseason berth secured, Boston might hold out its best player against the Nets.

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Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had inefficient nights for Boston Celtics against Brooklyn Nets on Saturday

Brown scored eight points against the Nets before exiting with back spasms. He shot 3-for-8, including 1-for-3 from deep and made 1-for-2 free throws.

Tatum also had a rough-shooting night against the Nets. He tallied 20 points but took 20 shots to get his tally. He went 8-for-19, including a ghastly 1-for-7 clip from behind the arc. Tatum added eight rebounds and eight assists.

The win in Brooklyn was the second night of a back-to-back set, which might be the reason Tatum looked gassed midway through the fourth quarter. After a two-day rest, he remains iffy for the final game against the Nets.

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Boston Celtics will spend next 6 games on the road after hosting Brooklyn Nets

The Celtics might hold out Tatum ahead of a tough Western Coast swing after hosting the Nets. Joe Mazzulla’s team will spend a season-high six games away from the comforts of TD Garden in Beantown.

The Celtics are hoping to stay ahead of the New York Knicks in the standings when they start their crucial road trip. They face the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies during that stretch. If they falter and the Knicks surge, Boston’s rivals could cut into their 7.5-game lead in the rankings.