BOSTON — The Celtics announced their injury report ahead of Game 1 between the Celtics and the Knicks, and it’s a clean slate ahead of the second round of the playoffs. Jrue Holiday, who missed the final three games of the first round of the playoffs against the Magic, is off the injury report, as is Jaylen Brown, who was questionable for the final three games against Orlando with a right knee impingement.
Saturday’s practice yielded positive injury news on all fronts; Joe Mazzulla said that Holiday was able to go through everything the Celtics did at practice, while Jaylen Brown gave his most encouraging knee update in weeks.
“I think I’m starting to turn the curve,” Brown said. “Structurally, everything is fine. I’ve had some other stuff going on, but I think I’m kind of trending in the right direction.”
Jaylen Brown with a positive injury update, says he thinks he’s trending toward 100%:
“I think I’m starting to turn the curve. Structurally, everything is fine. I’ve had some other stuff going on, but I think I’m trending in the right direction.”
(Q: @RealBobManning) pic.twitter.com/DCFDckmVsd
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) May 3, 2025
Since mid-February, Brown missed 12 games with a right knee impingement. He noted he was in some pain in the first half of Game 5, but felt better in the second.
Despite the up-and-down nature of his knee injury, he was nonetheless impactful in the first round, averaging 23 points per game and shooting 49.4% from the field.
Jrue Holiday makes his return after a three-game absence
Holiday was hugely impactful in the Celtics’ first two games of the playoff, posting 9 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals in the Game 1, and helping change the tide of the game defensively.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosely noted that game-planning against the Celtics without Holiday was “majorly different” though he noted that Payton Pritchard had stepped into that rule.
Al Horford noted that Holiday’s absence is enormous for the Celtics.
“What Jrue does for us — it’s elite,” Horford said. “The impact that he has on our team, you can’t measure it.”
Asked Al Horford about Payton Pritchard stepping up defensively in Jrue Holiday’s absence:
“What Jrue does for us — it’s elite. The impact that he has on our team, you can’t measure it.”
“ I felt like Payton all series, his ball pressure, his impact was noticeable.” pic.twitter.com/yvocD68fiI
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 30, 2025
Holiday’s return is particularly welcome news ahead of the match-up against the Knicks because he’ll likely get at least some of the assignment of limiting Knicks star Jalen Brunson. Brunson led the Knicks in the first round, averaging 31.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. During the season, the Celtics used Holiday as one of Brunson’s primary defenders, and will likely continue to do so in the first round.
