The San Antonio Spurs visit the Boston Celtics on Saturday night in a cross-conference matchup at TD Garden, with both teams dealing with notable absences ahead of the 8:00 p.m. ET tipoff.
Boston enters the game without Jayson Tatum, who remains out following a right Achilles repair. The Celtics also ruled out Josh Minott due to a left ankle sprain, trimming their forward depth against a Spurs team that ranks second in the Western Conference.
Despite Tatum’s absence, Boston remains one of the league’s most productive offenses at 117.8 points per game and sits second in the East with a 24–13 record.
Jaylen Brown has carried the scoring load, averaging 29.6 points per game while adding 6.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists over 35 appearances.
Derrick White continues to anchor the backcourt with 18.4 points and 5.3 assists per game, while Payton Pritchard has provided steady secondary creation at 17.2 points per contest.
The Spurs arrive in Boston with a 26–11 record and a one-game winning streak, following a 107–91 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers on January 7.
San Antonio’s injury report includes Devin Vassell, who is out with a left adductor strain, removing a 15.0-point-per-game scorer from the rotation.
Julian Champagnie is listed as questionable due to mid-back soreness after averaging 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds across 37 games this season.
The Spurs also have multiple players unavailable on G League assignments, including Harrison Ingram, David Jones García, and Stanley Umude.
Even with Vassell sidelined, San Antonio remains a top-five offense, averaging 119.0 points per game behind a balanced attack.
Victor Wembanyama leads the team at 24.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, while De’Aaron Fox contributes 21.0 points and 5.9 assists as the primary ball-handler.
Stephon Castle has emerged as a key playmaker, posting 17.7 points and 6.9 assists per game, giving the Spurs another perimeter creator against Boston’s defense.
The Celtics are coming off a 125–117 home win over the Toronto Raptors on January 9, snapping a brief skid and keeping pace near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
