Boston Celtics middle Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring pressure) stays out for Thursday night time’s dwelling recreation in opposition to the Phoenix Suns. This will probably be his fourth straight recreation missed and twentieth general for the season.
Porzingis, 28, suffered the harm throughout Boston’s 115-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets final Thursday. MVP favourite Nikola Jokic recorded his twentieth triple-double of the season versus the Jap Convention chief.
“He’s simply an unimaginable basketball participant,” Porzingis mentioned about Joker. “Some issues I realized from him in the present day, truly. He’s simply so sensible, so artful, so many stuff you don’t see that he does on the ground that helps that crew win. It’s unimaginable. … It speaks to how helpful he’s for them.”
#NEBHInjuryReport for tomorrow vs. Phoenix:
Jaylen Brown (left hip contusion) – QUESTIONABLE
Kristaps Porzingis (proper hamstring pressure) – OUT— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 13, 2024
By means of 46 video games (all begins) this season, Porzingis is averaging 20.4 factors, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 29.8 minutes per recreation whereas capturing a career-best 52% from the sector, 37.5% from 3-point vary, and 85.9% on the foul line.
In response to the remainder of the Celtics’ harm report, middle Al Horford (toe) was upgraded to possible on Wednesday, and guard Jaylen Brown (again) is listed as questionable to play.
Boston Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) out for Thursday night time’s dwelling recreation vs. Phoenix Suns
Thursday night time’s recreation is the second assembly between Boston and Phoenix this season. Within the first matchup on Sunday, the Celtics received 117-107 at Phoenix. Jayson Tatum led the C’s with 29 factors, whereas Kevin Durant scored a team-high 45 factors for the Suns.
“We’re not excellent. We attempt to be, we actually do strive,” Tatum mentioned after the victory. “However we make errors. It is a powerful league; the opposite groups are actually good and have nice gamers. It’s all about the way you reply. [If] you wish to be a particular crew, you’ve obtained to do job responding.”
Nevertheless, in contrast to the primary assembly, the Suns now have Devin Booker again within the lineup. He missed 4 video games with a sprained ankle final week however made his return in Monday’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“What we’re attempting to struggle for is that depth, and it’s been enjoyable to look at”
Joe Mazzulla praises the Celtics’ bench for stepping up with two starters and their sixth man out in opposition to the Jazz pic.twitter.com/Lgd12V32rQ
— Celtics on NBC Sports activities Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 13, 2024
The Celtics have gone 29-3 in dwelling video games, whereas Phoenix is 17-13 on the highway. Boston is 8-2 in its final 10 video games, averaging 121.4 factors, 46.0 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 7.0 steals and seven.1 blocks per recreation whereas capturing 50.4% from the sector.
In the meantime, the Suns are 5-5 of their previous 10 contests, averaging 113.6 factors, 48.2 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.6 steals and 6.0 blocks per recreation whereas capturing 46.5% from the ground.
NBA sportsbooks present the Celtics as 4.5-point favorites at dwelling in opposition to Phoenix. Per ESPN’s Basketball Energy Index, Boston holds an 81.5% likelihood of defeating Phoenix.
