ORLANDO — The Celtics likely will be down at least one starter for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series, and they could be missing multiple.
Boston listed Jayson Tatum, who did not play in Game 2, as doubtful for Friday night’s game against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. Tatum is recovering from what head coach Joe Mazzulla called a “severe bone bruise” in his shooting wrist.
Starting guard Jrue Holiday was listed as questionable for Game 3 with a right hamstring strain. He was added to the Celtics’ injury report Thursday after playing 36 minutes in Wednesday night’s 109-100 victory at TD Garden, which gave Boston a 2-0 series lead.
Veteran big man Al Horford, who replaced Tatum in the starting lineup, said the Celtics are preparing to potentially be without Tatum and Holiday on Friday.
“We’ve had to deal with this kind of all season, and because of that, some of our other guys have gotten opportunities,” Horford said at morning shootaround. “And it’s no different. Our guys stay ready. We’re preparing for it. Whether it’s Sam Hauser coming off the bench and having an impact, Luke (Kornet), Baylor (Scheierman), whoever it is, we just have to stay ready at any moment. That’s what we did all season, and we’ll see what happens tonight. If that’s what needs to be done, then I know our guys will be ready. And if not, we’ll get rolling like we normally do.”
Horford, Hauser, Kornet and Payton Pritchard are Boston’s core rotation reserves, seeing action in nearly every game even when the starting lineup is fully healthy. Hauser is the most likely candidate to fill Holiday’s starting spot if the latter can’t go in Game 3.
Scheierman has yet to make his NBA postseason debut, but the rookie saw extensive action late in the regular season, playing in 14 of Boston’s final 15 games. He could bump into Mazzulla’s rotation if Tatum and Holiday are unavailable, as could veteran wing Torrey Craig.
Having to plug lineup holes is nothing new for the Celtics. Their preferred starting five of Tatum, Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis played just 24 games together during the regular season, including just six after the NBA All-Star break.
“I think for us, (the key is) to continue to rally and understand that we have to do it as a group,” Horford said. “JB’s going to have to step up a little bit more, KP’s going to have to step up more, Derrick, and it just goes down the line like that. We all just have to be ready for that.”
Brown (36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Porzingis (20 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, two blocks) and White (17 points, six rebounds, five assists) were the Celtics’ top scorers in Game 2, with Pritchard adding 14 points off the bench.