The Boston Celtics are set to face the Miami Heat on Friday at Kaseya Center, but the availability of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown remains uncertain. Both players are listed as questionable on the team’s injury report—Tatum is managing right knee tendinopathy, while Brown is dealing with a right knee posterior impingement.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Injury Status vs. Heat
Tatum sat out Monday’s 114-108 victory over the Utah Jazz due to his knee issue. He was initially questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder but ended up playing. The All-Star forward logged 41 minutes in the Celtics’ 118-112 loss, finishing with 33 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists while shooting 12-of-23 from the field.
Brown, who also appeared on the injury report ahead of the Thunder game, was initially listed as probable before being upgraded to available. He played 38 minutes in the loss, contributing 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, a block, and two steals on 5-of-15 shooting.
Their questionable designations suggest both players are managing injuries but have a chance to play against the Heat.
Celtics’ Playoff Positioning and Injury Concerns
Boston is comfortably holding the second seed in the Eastern Conference, sitting 4.5 games ahead of the New York Knicks with 16 games left. With Jalen Brunson recently sidelined due to an ankle sprain, the Celtics’ position appears secure. Given this, the team might opt to rest Tatum and Brown if they’re not fully healthy.
Kristaps Porzingis (illness; non-COVID) and Derrick White (left knee contusion) are also questionable for Friday’s matchup.
Meanwhile, the Heat are in the thick of the Eastern Conference play-in race. Currently one game behind the Orlando Magic for the eighth seed, Miami is looking to improve its playoff positioning. Landing in the eighth spot would provide a major advantage, requiring only one play-in victory to advance, whereas the ninth and 10th seeds must win two consecutive games.
Celtics Injury Report
Jaylen Brown: Questionable – Right Knee (Posterior Impingement)
Jayson Tatum: Questionable – Right Knee (Tendinopathy)
Kristaps Porzingis: Questionable – Illness (Non-COVID)
Derrick White: Questionable – Left Knee (Contusion)
Al Horford: Probable – Left Big Toe (Sprain)
JD Davison, Miles Norris, Drew Peterson: Out – G League (Two-Way)
Heat Injury Report
Alec Burks: Out – Lower Back (Strain)
Nikola Jovic: Out – Right Hand (Broken)
Dru Smith: Out – Left Achilles (Surgery)
Josh Christopher: Out – G League (Two-Way)
With Boston’s playoff seeding nearly locked in, the team may take a cautious approach with Tatum and Brown, prioritizing long-term health over a single regular-season game.
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