Team Profile
Boston Celtics
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118.0 2ndOffensive Rating
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107.5 24thDefensive Rating
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10.6 4thNet Rating
2024 Team Stats
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Points per game121.3 2nd
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Points per game Against110.5 5th
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Rebounds per game42.8 5th
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Assists per game25.1 8th
The Boston Celtics have no injuries listed leading into Friday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets, which means that guard Derrick White (ankle) is ready to play. White will return from a one-game absence with a sprained left ankle, and he won't miss out on Friday's chance to participate in a potential NBA Finals preview with the reigning champions. The well-rounded 29-year-old has functioned as a nine-category gem in 2023-24, providing 15.9 points, 4.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 triples, and 2.2 combined steals plus blocks with 90.3% free-throw shooting during 32.0 minutes covering 37 games. Luke Kornet joined Boston's starting lineup and blocked three shots in Wednesday's rout of the San Antonio Spurs, but he'll almost certainly return to obscurity in White's return on Friday.
The Boston Celtics have no injuries to report ahead of Friday's meeting with the Denver Nuggets, meaning center Kristaps Porzingis (knee) is good to go for the game. Friday is a possible NBA Finals preview between the first-place Celtics and the defending champions, and both sides are slated to be at full strength. Boston kept Porzingis out of Wednesday's blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs due to inflammation in his right knee, but they were still able to easily dispatch their lesser opponent. The Unicorn is nearly posting top-25 value in nine-category fantasy leagues during his debut season in Beantown, amassing 19.1 points on 52.5% field-goal shooting, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 three-pointers, and 1.8 blocks per game. Al Horford netted three triples in Wednesday's start, but he'll likely pivot back to the bench while Porzingis dukes it out with Nikola Jokic.
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (ankle) will miss his first game since Nov. 20 on Wednesday versus the San Antonio Spurs. White is nursing a sprained left ankle after rolling it late in Monday's win over the Toronto Raptors, so the Celtics will offer him a breather against a far inferior opponent on Wednesday. The 29-year-old two-way stud has checked virtually every box a nine-category fantasy manager can find, returning third-round value via averages of 15.9 points, 4.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 triples, and 2.2 combined steals plus blocks with 90.3% free-throw shooting in 32.0 minutes through 37 games in 2023-24. With Kristaps Porzingis (knee) joining White on the sidelines, additional opportunities to shoot and create will be available in a plum spot for Boston on Wednesday. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday will orchestrate the offense, with Payton Pritchard lining up for a boost in playing time.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (elbow) is available to play in Wednesday's contest versus the San Antonio Spurs. A sprained right elbow has bothered Holiday of late, but he hasn't sat out since Dec. 31's beatdown of this same Spurs bunch. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star has taken a backseat as a playmaker in Boston's loaded lineup, and he's just barely cracking the top 75 in nine-category fantasy leagues while averaging 13.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.9 threes in 33.8 minutes over 37 outings. An uptick in usage is headed Holiday's direction in the cushiest possible draw against San Antonio on Wednesday, however, considering Kristaps Porzingis (knee) and backcourt mate Derrick White (ankle) are unavailable.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (knee) will sit out Wednesday's tilt versus the San Antonio Spurs. Porzingis is dealing with inflammation in his right knee, so we won't get to see him tangle with fellow unicorn Victor Wembanyama on Wednesday. Look for KP to return for Friday's showdown with the defending-champion Denver Nuggets, as there's reason to believe that the Celtics are simply using this matchup against this last-place Spurs team for some load management. Al Horford has averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists over eight appearances without Porzingis this season, so he deserves to be a popular streamer and DFS option in the game with the slate's highest implied point total (238.5).