Jayson Tatum, one of two Celtics starters, has been ruled out for the Pistons matchup

On By Littum

For the first time this season, the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum on Wednesday night.

Boston ruled out the three-time All-NBA first-teamer for their matchup with the Detroit Pistons at TD Garden with right patellar tendinopathy. Starting guard Jrue Holiday (left knee tendinopathy) was also ruled out for the second straight game.

Tatum was listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup with Miami, but ended up playing 36 minutes in a 108-89 Celtics win. Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the superstar for his reluctance to take evenings off, saying, “You go into the arena knowing you have a chance to win every night because your best players want to play and they can play and that they take care of themselves.”

Mazzulla said Tatum’s knee injury is “just something he continues to work through” and that he doesn’t expect him to miss more than one game.

“I know he’s ok,” the coach said. “He’s getting better every day.”

Wednesday’s game was the first that Tatum missed all season. It was the second straight DNP for the 34-year-old Holiday, who was listed on the Celtics’ injury report with tendinopathy in his left knee.

Tatum was recognized Tuesday as the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for October/November. He is the NBA’s sixth-leading scorer this season and the Celtics’ leader in points, assists, rebounds and steals per game. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is the only other player to pace his team in all four categories.

“Jayson makes everything easier for everybody else around him,” reserve wing Sam Hauser said Wednesday morning. “He draws so much attention to himself that it gives other guys open looks. It gives them open reads and we’re there as outlets for him. He trusts us enough where he’s willing to give up the ball when two guys are on him to make the easy, real play, and I think that’s where he’s grown in the last three, four years — just playing the real game. It might not be flashy or anything, but i think ​​that if you consistently do the right thing most of the time, it will show.

“And obviously he’s still putting up big numbers in other aspects, but I think it’s just the little things that stand out.”

Hauser, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford all returned to action Wednesday after sitting out Monday’s win.

With Tatum’s streak ending, Payton Pritchard is now the only Celtics player to see action in every game this season. Pritchard was also the only Celtic to play in every regular season game in 2023–24.

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