Jrue Holiday’s status remains unclear as Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals approaches.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla would not say Friday whether he expects to have the veteran guard available when the second-round series against the New York Knicks tips off Monday night at TD Garden.
“(He’s) day to day,” Mazzulla said in a video conference. “Just getting better every day, doing whatever he can to make sure he puts himself in position to try to come back as fast as he can. He’s working hard.”
Holiday missed the final three games of Boston’s first-round playoff series against Orlando with a hamstring strain. Mazzulla has consistently described him as “day to day.”
The 34-year-old is one of the Celtics’ best defenders, and he was productive in all three games he played against the Knicks during the regular season, averaging 16.0 points per game on 66.7% shooting (57.1% from 3-point range). If available, Holiday will play a key role in Boston’s plan to defend Jalen Brunson, New York’s All-Star point guard.
Celtics stars Jayson Tatum (wrist) and Jaylen Brown (knee) also dealt with injuries during the Magic series, which Boston won in five games. The swift end to that series gave the Celtics five days off before the East semis begin.
“It’s the playoffs,” Mazzulla said. “No one’s 100%, so we just do what we’ve got to do to be ready for Game 1.”
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