Players Set to Start for Boston Celtics Against Portland Trail Blazers Are Out With Injuries. The Boston Celtics will be without a few starting players for Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Kristaps Porzingis will not play because of a strained right hamstring, and Jrue Holiday will not play because of tendinopathy in his left knee. Furthermore, Svі Mykhailiuk, who is a reserve player, is not available because of personal reasons.

Before the game, the Celtics had already ruled Porzingis out, and they were considering benching Holiday and the other four starters. Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jaylen Brown will not be leaving Portland, though.

Along with those three, Monday’s starting lineup will also most likely include Al Horford and Sam Hauser. With 24 starts for Horford and 6 for Hauser, both players have filled in for Porzingis this season.

While missing a game due to a “back-to-back” schedule is nothing new for Porzingis, he should be able to play again in Utah on Tuesday. In contrast, Holiday’s absences are not common; he has missed a total of five games so far this season.

Due to Boston’s roster shortage, bench regulars Luke Kornet and Payton Pritchard may get more opportunities to play, and players further down the lineup like Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer may see increased playing time.

This is Pritchard’s return to his home state of Oregon for the first time since the 2021–22 season. He had a career high 19 points in a resounding Celtics triumph over the Blazers during his prior appearance at the Moda Center.

Kornet would gladly take advantage of any more chance to improve upon his Saturday performance, in which he scored 14 points against the Phoenix Suns.

At last month’s trade deadline, the Celtics acquired Tillman from the Philadelphia 76ers and Springer from the Memphis Grizzlies. Neither of the two new Celtics players have made an impact in Joe Mazzulla’s rotation just yet. Tillman has played an average of 12.3 minutes per game in his four appearances, whereas Springer has played an average of 3.3 minutes per game in six.

In Monday night’s League Pass game in Portland, fans may get a longer look at the two players.

You might want to give the Celtics a chance if you want to see them try to win 50 games this season.