BOSTON — The Celtics will have their full roster available when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night. Boston has no players listed on its injury report — that includes Paul George, who missed Wednesday’s win over the Toronto Raptors with an illness on the second night of a back-to-back.
George sat out in Toronto just a day removed from a 36-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers. He has been the Celtics’
second-leading scorer so far this season, averaging 22 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He’s also been the team’s most efficient high-volume scorer, shooting 48.8% from the field and 44% from three.
Still, the Celtics survived without him on Wednesday, erasing a 22-point deficit on the second night of a road back-to-back to beat the Raptors 98-93. The win capped a perfect 4-0 road trip and extended Boston’s winning streak to five games. At 10-2, the Celtics lead the Eastern Conference, have won 10 of their last 11 games, and own the league’s best net rating.
Boston has had three days off since returning from Toronto, and now opens a home back-to-back; the Celtics hos the Raptors on Sunday and then the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
The Celtics could rest players on Monday against the Magic
Sunday’s clean report doesn’t guarantee the Celtics will be at full strength on both nights. Boston has rested players on back-to-backs before this season: Mitchell Robinson sat the front end in Orlando on Nov. 1, and George sat the second night in Houston the following day.
Jayson Tatum, meanwhile, has played in every back-to-back game so far, though he’s said he’s open to conversations about rest management. He also noted that he doesn’t like sitting out road games, which has factored into his decision to play on the second night of multiple back-to-backs.
“It’s my 10th year, so I understand the balance of wanting to play every game, and rest, and back-to-backs, three-in-fours, five-in-sevens,” Tatum said last week in Charlotte. “It’s always a conversation. We talk about it. We have a plan. I don’t really like sitting out on away games, but we just kind of figure it out as we go.”
The Celtics will begin a four-game West Coast road trip on Wednesday, which includes stops in Denver, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.
The Mavericks are on the second night of a back-to-back
Dallas will arrive in Boston after facing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night; the Mavericks entered that game at 7-5 after getting blown out by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were both off Dallas’ injury report for Saturday’s game.
Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, while Irving is scoring 21.6 points per game. Irving, who returned this season from a torn ACL, sat out the second night of Dallas’ first back-to-back of the season for load management, so it’s possible he misses Sunday’s game, though the Mavericks have yet to list their injury report.
Max Christie (left ankle sprain), Sergio De Larrea (right knee sprain), Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis), and Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery recovery) were all ruled out ahead of Saturday’s game.
Sunday will be Flagg’s second game at TD Garden. The Newport, Maine native drew plenty of support from the crowd during his Garden debut last March; the Celtics won the game by 20 as Jayson Tatum made his return from his Achilles injury.
Celtics-Mavericks tips off on Sunday night at 6pm ET.
