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The Boston Celtics head into Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks with a blend of optimism and concern on the injury front.

Reserve forward Sam Hauser is listed as doubtful due to a sprained right ankle suffered during Game 1. As Ian Begley of SNY reported, Hauser was seen leaving the arena in a walking boot, casting doubt on his availability for Wednesday.

He played just four minutes in the series opener, missing both shot attempts, but his absence could be significant for Boston’s spacing.

During the regular season, Hauser appeared in 71 games (starting 19), averaging 8.5 points while shooting 41.6% from three.

The Celtics struggled from beyond the arc in Game 1, making only 15 of 60 attempts, and losing one of their most reliable perimeter threats could prove costly.

In better news, starting center Kristaps Porzingis is listed as probable, following an early exit from Game 1 due to illness.

Porzingis went scoreless in 13 minutes of action before being ruled out, and his absence was felt as the Celtics squandered a double-digit second-half lead.

Porzingis has been dealing with lingering health issues for weeks, having missed eight games late in the regular season due to a viral illness.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged that Porzingis has been pushing through symptoms since returning:

“I think since he came back he’s kind of been dealing with it on and off,” Mazzulla said, via MassLive’s Brian Robb. “Fighting through it, working through it, doing the best that he can. And I think it was just too much for him in that game… he had been working through it since he’s gotten back. And he’s done a great job of being available, and it was just tough for him to continue yesterday so we’ll see kind of how he handles that.”

With Game 2 on the horizon, the Celtics are relying on Porzingis to anchor the interior and keep tabs on Hauser’s ankle health.

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