Celtics Injury Update: Payton Pritchard Questionable for Pistons Game

The Boston Celtics could be without starting guard Payton Pritchard when they face the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. Pritchard is listed as questionable with left ankle soreness. He missed Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, his first absence of the season. The Celtics defeated Atlanta 132-106 without him, with Baylor Scheierman starting in his place. Boston will close out a four-game road trip Monday night at Little Caesars Arena. The matchup features the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, with the Pistons leading the East at 30-10 and the Celtics sitting second at 26-15. The Celtics’ Full Injury Report for Monday Pritchard is one of four players listed on Boston’s injury report. Josh Minott will miss his eighth straight game with a left ankle sprain. Chris Boucher, who has been out of the rotation since late November, is questionable with low back spasms. Jayson Tatum remains out as he continues to rehabilitate a ruptured right Achilles tendon. The Pistons, meanwhile, have a clean injury slate heading into Monday’s game. Payton Pritchard’s Status for Boston Pritchard has been a key part of Boston’s success this season. He is averaging 16.6 points per game despite some early-season struggles that have dragged his efficiency down slightly. His ability to create offense and knock down three-pointers has been critical for the Celtics, particularly with Tatum sidelined. Pritchard has had strong performances against Detroit this season. In an October loss to the Pistons, he dropped 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. In a late-November win, he scored 16 points on 50% shooting. He struggled in the most recent matchup on December 15, finishing 5-of-14 from the field. If Pritchard cannot play Monday, Scheierman is expected to start again. Scheierman filled in well against Atlanta, hitting three three-pointers and doing the little things to help Boston control the game. His defensive activity and willingness to move the ball kept the offense flowing even without Pritchard’s scoring punch. The Celtics Face the East’s Best Team Monday’s game is a battle between the two best teams in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have been a revelation this season. Detroit have posted a 30-10 record and leads the East by 4.5 games. The Pistons have won six of their last 10 games and are riding a two-game winning streak heading into Monday. The Celtics have exceeded expectations this season. Without Tatum, Boston has remained competitive and sits second in the East at 26-15. The Celtics have won seven of their last 10 games and are also riding a two-game winning streak. These two teams have played each other tough all season. The Pistons lead the season series 2-1, but all three games have been decided by seven points or fewer. October saw Detroit win by six. In November, Boston won by three. In December, the Pistons won by seven. Monday’s game will be the fourth and final regular-season matchup between the two teams. The game tips off at 8 p.m. on Peacock and NBC. What Pritchard’s Absence Would Mean for Boston Losing Pritchard would hurt, but Boston has shown it can win without him. The Celtics’ blowout win over Atlanta on Saturday proved that the supporting cast is capable of stepping up when key players are unavailable. Jaylen Brown led the way with 41 points, and Sam Hauser added 30 points on 10-of-21 shooting from three-point range. But Monday’s game will be far more difficult than Saturday’s. The Pistons are a legitimate championship contender with a deep roster and one of the best defenses in the league. Pritchard’s ability to stretch the floor and create offense off the dribble would help Boston’s offense against Detroit’s disciplined defense. If Pritchard cannot go, the Celtics will lean more heavily on Brown, Hauser, and Anfernee Simons to carry the offensive load. Scheierman will need to replicate his solid performance from Saturday, and the bench will need to provide consistent energy and production. Final Word for the Celtics Payton Pritchard’s status for Monday’s game against Detroit remains uncertain. The Celtics will evaluate his left ankle soreness and make a decision closer to tip-off. Boston proved it can win without Pritchard against Atlanta, but the Pistons present a far stiffer challenge. Monday’s game is a battle between the two best teams in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons lead the season series 2-1, and all three games have been competitive. The fourth and final regular-season meeting between these two teams will determine which squad has the upper hand heading into the second half of the season. If Pritchard plays, the Celtics will have their full starting lineup available for one of the most important games of the year. If he does not, Boston will need another strong performance from Scheierman and the supporting cast to keep pace with the East’s best team.