After their disappointing 105-114 home loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, who were without their premier stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Boston Celtics will be looking for redemption tonight. The Celtics still have the best record in the NBA. However, they’ll be looking for a dominant showing at home after receiving a lot of flak on social media for their poor performance against the LA side. In their game against the Lakers, Jaylen Brown had a tough shooting night, making just four of his 12 field goal attempts.
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In December, Brown had picked up a back injury that ruled him out of a game against the Detroit Pistons. His back issues seem to have returned. Therefore, there are concerns about his availability for the Celtics’ 4th February fixture against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Celtics’ injury report does include Brown’s name along with three other players.
Two-way players JD Davison and Drew Peterson have been listed as ‘out’ while Luke Kornet is listed as ‘Probable’. On the other hand, Jaylen Brown is listed as ‘Questionable’ because of his lower back tightness.
Jaylen Brown listed as questionable tomorrow vs. Memphis with low back tightness. Luke Kornet is probable to return from his hamstring issue
— John Karalis (@John_Karalis) February 3, 2024
Since the Grizzlies are one of the worst teams in the league right now, there is high likelihood that Brown could take the game off. He has been relatively healthy this season, having missed just three games so far, the last of which came in mid-January. Considering the Celtics’ depth, it is not surprising that they have won all the three games Brown has missed.
On the other hand, the Grizzlies are dealing with several injuries this season, with their centerpiece Ja Morant out for the season. The Celtics shouldn’t find it difficult to edge out the 18-31 Grizzlies at TD Garden.
Boston Celtics have incredible depth
The team’s move to acquire Jrue Holiday in the offseason has paid dividends immediately considering his ability to build incredible team chemistry. They have collected 37 wins against just 12 losses and have the best record in the league. They started the season with 26 wins and six losses, but lately, injuries have caused them to lose six out of 18. Despite these returns, the Celts look set to finish at the top of the East. Despite trading their best perimeter defender Marcus Smart in the offseason, Boston continues to have enviable guard combinations.
The big bonus is that all their guards are incredible defenders. Having three guards like Holiday, Brown, and the in-form Derrick White, is a big luxury for Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla. Having Porzingis and Tatum in the frontline ensures that there are a ton of open looks on the weak side.
