The Boston Celtics will be taking on the New York Knicks today and they will be missing a few crucial big men. Both Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman have been ruled out for this contest due to different issues.
Queta will be out due to a non-Covid illness while Tillman is still dealing with left knee inflammation. The Celtics' depth in the frontcourt will be tested against a talented Knicks team.
Tillman has played in 27 games this season for Boston, averaging 0.9 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game. The former Michigan State product is used as more of a depth piece for this Celtics team but he can really play whenever given the chance on the court.
As for Queta, he has appeared in 44 games this year for the Celtics. The big man has averaged 5.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game for Boston.
While neither player would likely get big playing time in this game, having them available in case of injury is important. Starting center Kristaps Porzingis does have a long injury history so Boston uses these players as depth in case they need a center within games.
The Celtics also could use more help along the frontcourt as the Knicks are a very talented team up front. New York likes to dominate teams with their size so having more big men available could give the Celtics another advantage heading into this contest.
New York is dealing with their own injury issues as both forward OG Anunoby and guard Josh Hart could miss this contest. Both players have landed on the injury report ahead of the game today.
The Knicks haven't been able to keep up with the other elite teams in the Eastern Conference this season and Boston just beat them a few weeks ago. The Celtics dominated the Knicks on the road by a score of 131-104.
Boston will be looking to do more of the same here today and they likely feel good about their chances.
