The Celtics once again will be without Jrue Holiday as they look to eliminate the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Boston ruled the starting guard out for Game 5 of the first-round playoff series with a right hamstring strain. Holiday also sat out Games 3 and 4 in Orlando.
The severity of Holiday’s injury is unclear, but the team’s updates have not inspired optimism. The Celtics ruled the 34-year-old out the day before each of their last two games rather than listing him as questionable or doubtful.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla has described Holiday’s status as “day to day.”
Holiday is one of the Celtics’ best and most versatile defenders, and he has the ability to swing games with his scoring. Boston is 21-2 this season when Holiday scores at least 13 points and 17-1 when he makes at least three 3-pointers, which he did in Game 1 against Orlando.
“He put the team on his back from that passion and emotion standpoint, and that’s why Jrue Holiday is Jrue Holiday,” Mazzulla said after that game. “So we’re lucky to have him. … We do feed off his physicality and his presence.”
Fellow guard Derrick White said Boston “honestly … can’t replace what Jrue Holiday brings on both sides of the ball.”
After dropping Game 3 without Holiday, the Celtics bounced back with a 107-98 win Sunday night to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Jaylen Brown, who tallied 21 points and 11 rebounds in Game 4, is listed as questionable for Game 5 with the right knee posterior impingement that has nagged him since before the NBA All-Star break.
The Celtics have had their full starting five for just one game in the series, as Jayson Tatum missed Game 2 with a bone bruise in his wrist. Veteran big man Al Horford started the last three contests in place of Tatum and Holiday.
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