Jrue Holiday questionable, Kristaps Porzingis out for Sunday’s Celtics-Hawks game

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Jrue Holiday questionable, Kristaps Porzingis out for Sunday’s Celtics-Hawks game

Posted By: jasabacklink November 25, 2023

Celtics

Porzingis had shared optimism regarding his calf injury on social media earlier on Saturday.

Jrue Holiday (4) is dealing with an ankle injury and Kristaps Porzingis (8) is out with calf tightness. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

The Celtics will be without at least one of their star players against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

The team announced that Kristaps Porzingis will not play due to a calf injury he suffered on Friday versus the Orlando Magic. Boston also listed Jrue Holiday as ‘questionable’ to suit up against the Hawks at TD Garden.

Porzingis, who has played 15 of 16 games to this point, went to the locker room in the Celtics’ loss to the Magic on Friday after experiencing left calf tightness during the game. The center was seen limping after receiving a pass and going up to shoot. The team ruled Porzingis out shortly after he left the game.

Despite already being ruled out versus the Hawks, the big man offered a positive update regarding his calf injury on Instagram earlier on Saturday. 

“Good news this morning. Be back very soon,” Porzingis wrote in his post.

It’s worth mentioning that Porzingis has already been a little banged up this season. He didn’t play against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 15 due to a right knee contusion.

The Celtics will feel his absence on the parquet on Sunday. Porzingis is averaging 18.9 points per game, a 54.7 field goal percentage, 5.2 defensive rebounds per game, and 1.7 blocks per game to begin his first season in Boston.

As for Holiday, the defender missed Friday’s matchup in Orlando due to an ankle sprain despite being listed as ‘probable’ to play that same morning.

The Celtics certainly missed Holiday’s presence in their 113-96 loss in Florida. The 33-year-old is averaging 5.4 defensive rebounds per game in his inaugural season in Boston. Holiday is also making three-pointers 39 percent of the time, along with his 3.8 assists per game.

Holiday’s red-hot offensive start to the year has since cooled down from when he was averaging 15.2 points per game through his first seven contests. He scored just five points in 35 minutes in his last appearance against his former Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 22.

Perhaps the Celtics were simply giving the veteran a rest day considering he had played in all 15 games until Friday. Nonetheless, the situation is worth monitoring. Boston seemed to have anticipated his availability against the Magic just hours before tipoff.

The Porzingis-less Celtics look to improve to 7-0 at home this season versus Atlanta at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday.