Two Boston stars return after missing loss to Oklahoma City Thunder
The Boston Celtics (43-23) will welcome back two key pieces Saturday night.
Both Jayson Tatum and Derrick White have been ruled available for Boston’s matchup with the Washington Wizards (16-49) at TD Garden after sitting out Thursday’s 104-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder (52-15).
Tatum missed that game as part of the ongoing management of his Achilles recovery, while White was sidelined with a knee contusion.
Their return should provide a boost for a Celtics team that nearly knocked off the defending champions despite being short-handed.
Boston pushed Oklahoma City to the brink behind a dominant 34-point performance from Jaylen Brown, but the Thunder ultimately escaped with the win after late free throws from Chet Holmgren.
With Tatum and White back in the lineup, the Celtics will now look to regroup as they return home to begin a favorable stretch of the schedule.
After playing eight of their first 12 games following the All-Star break on the road, Boston now enters a stretch where six of its next seven games will take place in front of its home crowd.
Saturday’s matchup offers the Celtics a chance to bounce back quickly while also regaining something closer to their full rotation.
The opponent could help with that reset.
Boston has already handled Washington comfortably in both previous meetings this season. The Celtics defeated the Wizards 136-107 at TD Garden earlier in the year before cruising to a 146-101 win in Washington in their second matchup.
In the first meeting, Brown poured in 35 points while Boston erased an early deficit before taking control of the game. The second contest was even more lopsided, with strong performances from players like White and Jordan Walsh powering one of Boston’s most efficient offensive outings of the season.
Washington has struggled defensively throughout the year and has often had difficulty matching Boston’s depth and perimeter shooting.
Still, Saturday’s game carries added significance for the Celtics.
With Tatum continuing his gradual reintegration into the lineup and the team beginning a home-heavy stretch of the schedule, Boston will be looking to build momentum - and reestablish its rhythm - as the regular season moves closer to the postseason.
Feb 12, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and forward Jayson Tatum (0) talk before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at the TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.