The Boston Celtics complete their first back-to-back of the 2020-21 season Wednesday evening as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies fresh off a 116 – 111 win over the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 29, and they will play a team nearly as banged up this early in the season as they are for one of the longest injury reports we can recall.
The Celtics’ list of players either out or questionable for tonight’s contest at TD Garden has grown considerably, with wing Javonte Green out for unknown COVID-19 protocol-related issues, as of yet unrevealed the nature of. Veteran big man Tristan Thompson is also going to sit to avoid re-injuring the hamstring issue that kept him out of the preseason.
Add in the duo of still-recuperating Celtics of Kemba Walker (knee), Romeo Langford (wrist) along with Tacko Fall (eye) and Jayson Tatum (sprained thumb) both questionable, and you have the makings of a Hospital Celtics game for the ages.
On the other side of the court, the Grizzlies are also particularly unhealthy coming into tonight’s game with seven players out for the contest.
The full injury report for tonight's game. I truly can't recall a longer one overall. pic.twitter.com/YPmkiObBhy
— Dr. Justin Quinn (@justinquinnn) December 30, 2020
They include: Ja Morant (ankle), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), De’Anthony Melton (COVID-19 protocol), Jontay Porter (knee), Killian Tillie (hamstring), Xavier Tillman (patellar tendonitis) and Justice Winslow (hip).
At this point it might have been easier to list who is available.
Fingers crossed all the absent and potentially so players return to health as soon as they are able — and those precautionary measures with Melton and Green prove nothing more than that.
