The Boston Celtics are gearing up to host the Houston Rockets on Monday night, January 27, 2025, following a successful four-game road trip where they won three of four games, including a notable victory over the Dallas Mavericks. This matchup marks the second game between the Celtics and the Rockets this month, with Boston having previously defeated Ime Udoka’s squad earlier this month.
Heading back to TD Garden, the Celtics will face the challenge of potentially missing several rotation players due to injuries. The team announced on Monday morning the injury report for their game against the Rockets, listing several key players either out or questionable to play.
The Celtics' injury report includes: Derrick White (OUT - right shin contusion), Al Horford (AVAILABLE - left big toe sprain), Sam Hauser (OUT - right hip impingement), along with Anton Watson, Drew Peterson, and JD Davison, who are all currently assigned to the G League with the Maine Celtics. White, who had been marked as questionable due to knee issues earlier, has now been downgraded to out for the matchup. Hauser, who began the season dealing with back issues, now faces the addition of a hip impingement.
On the other side, the Houston Rockets are also dealing with their own injury challenges. Jabari Smith Jr., one of their promising forwards, is out due to a fracture in his left hand. He suffered this injury earlier this month, which does not require surgery, but he is expected to be sidelined for several weeks. Cam Whitmore, meanwhile, is listed as out with illness, impacting the Rockets’ depth for this game.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka finds himself up against his former team, the Celtics, for the second time since his suspension and ultimate dismissal last season. Udoka took over the Rockets job for the current season and has struggled against Boston, having gone 0-3 against them over the past season and a half. He expressed pride and happiness about the Celtics securing the NBA championship last year, stating, “Happy for them for sure and not surprised. It was coming regardless,” cementing the rivalry between the two franchises.
The matchup carries additional significance for the Rockets, who have been on a roll, having won eight out of their last ten games, including back-to-back victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record prior to their games. Their recent success has bolstered their confidence, and another win against the defending champions would provide solid momentum as the season progresses.
The projected starting lineups seem to favor the Celtics if they can overcome their injury woes. Boston is expected to start with Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis, whereas the Rockets could feature Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, and Alperen Sengun.
This game is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m., and the Celtics will be hoping to leverage their home court advantage to overcome the injury struggles and continue their successful campaign after the road trip. Fans are excited to see how this game will play out, particularly with the historical coaching dynamic of Udoka facing off against his former players.