After being listed as questionable with left Achilles tendinitis, Jaylen Brown has been downgraded to out for Sunday’s matchup vs. the Hornets. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum ($9,300, Achilles) and Neemias Queta ($5,600, thumb) have been upgraded from questionable to probable, and Derrick White ($7,400, knee) still remains questionable.
This will be the second game in a row that Brown has missed with left Achilles tendinitis. Celtics’ HC Joe Mazzulla called Brown day-to-day on Friday, but the All-Star missing games with an Achilles injury is obviously worrisome.
Brown has been an MVP candidate this season, averaging 28.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game, all of which are career highs. With him inactive Sunday, Tatum is going to naturally see a larger role, as will Payton Pritchard ($6,400).
With Brown out Friday vs. the Hawks, Tatum finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and five assists (50 FPTS) and Pritchard went off for 36 points, seven rebounds and four assists (51.25 FPTS). In this win for Boston, Pritchard and Tatum led the team with 39% and 37% usage rates, respectively. Both are strong DFS targets for Sunday night’s six-game slate on DraftKings, which will see additional boosts if White is also ruled out.
The Celtics are an impressive 7-1 with Brown inactive this season, but they are a 1.5-point underdog vs. the Hornets on DraftKings Sportsbook.
