NEW YORK The injury report has only provided good news for the Celtics as they attempt to maintain their dominant position in the East. Prior to their 8:30 p.m. encounter with the Knicks on Saturday, the C’s injury report features no players.
Naturally, that’s a big plus because the Celtics, who lead the league, are now riding a seven-game winning streak and enter the game with a 44-12 record. The Knicks are still 34-22 and fourth in the East despite their slide before the All-Star break due to injury. While the Knicks defeated the 76ers on Thursday, the Celtics are coming off a decisive victory over the Bulls.
Notably, the injury report does not include Jaden Springer. Prior to the game on Thursday in Chicago, he was upgraded from his initial questionable status. In the process, Springer played a few minutes with the Celtics, making his debut. On Thursday, big man Xavier Tillman made his Boston debut as well. He scored a basket and said that his knee injury is now behind him.
In the three meetings between the teams this season, the Celtics have prevailed over the Knicks. In an uncommon turn of events, they will actually play five times in the regular season as opposed to the customary four. The C’s and Knicks were matched up against each other in the NBA’s in-season tournament because they both lost in the quarterfinals of the knockout stages.
This season, New York has come as a welcome surprise and had some very strong performance. However, the Knicks are struggling as they attempt to move up the East standings. They trail the Bucks, who are in third place, by just one game.
