The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics enter Friday’s matchup at TD Garden dealing with key absences that could influence rotations and offensive balance. Boston holds the No. 3 seed at 33-18, while Miami sits eighth in the East at 27-25, making availability a major factor in a tight playoff race.
Boston will be without Jayson Tatum due to a right Achilles repair. The forward’s absence shifts more responsibility to Jaylen Brown, who leads the team with 29.5 points per game and remains the focal point of the offense.
Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are expected to carry increased playmaking duties, combining for more than 10 assists per game this season. Boston’s spacing still presents challenges, as the club averages 15.6 made threes per game, but losing Tatum reduces shot creation against Miami’s switching defense.
Josh Minott and Xavier Tillman are also unavailable for personal reasons, while Max Shulga remains on a G League assignment and John Tonje is listed as trade pending. Depth pieces like Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh may see extended minutes, especially with the Celtics playing their second game in as many nights after a 114-93 win over Houston.
Miami’s biggest absence is Tyler Herro, who is out with a rib injury after averaging 21.9 points and shooting nearly 50% from the field in limited games this season. Without his scoring gravity, the Heat may rely more on Norman Powell, who leads the team with 23.0 points per game, and Bam Adebayo’s interior play.
Andrew Wiggins is listed as available despite left hamstring tightness, which is important given his 15.6-point average and two-way role on the wing. Davion Mitchell, dealing with a shoulder sprain, is also expected to play and remains critical to Miami’s ball pressure and 7.3 assists per game.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, and several rotation players appear on the report but are available, suggesting Miami’s depth will be tested more by Herro’s absence than by widespread injuries. Terry Rozier remains out while not with the team.
Boston has won both previous meetings this season, including a 129-116 victory in December and a 119-114 win in January. The Celtics enter the game on a four-game winning streak, while Miami is coming off a loss to Atlanta after a dominant victory against Chicago.
