For the first time this season, the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum on Wednesday night.

Boston ruled out the three-time All-NBA first teamer for the game against the Detroit Pistons at TD Garden because of right patellar tendinopathy. Starting player Jrue Holiday (left knee tendinopathy) was also sidelined for the second consecutive game.

Tatum was listed as questionable for Monday’s game against Miami but ended up playing 36 minutes in a 108-89 Celtics win. Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the superstar for his reluctance to take nights off, saying: “You go into the arena knowing you have a chance to win every night because the best players want to play and they can play , and that’s what they do.” take care of themselves.”

Mazzulla said Tatum’s knee injury is “just something he continues to work on” and he doesn’t expect him to miss more than one game.

“I know he’s fine,” the coach said. “He’s getting better every day.”

Wednesday’s game was the first Tatum missed all season. It was the second straight DNP for the 34-year-old Holiday, who was listed on the Celtics’ injury report with left knee tendinopathy.

Tatum was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for October/November on Tuesday. He is the NBA’s sixth-leading scorer this season and the Celtics’ all-time leader in points, assists, rebounds and steals per game. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is the only other player to lead his team in all four categories.

“Jayson makes everything easier for everyone else around him,” reserve wing Sam Hauser said Wednesday morning. “He draws so much attention to himself that he gives other guys open looks. It gives them open reading and we are there as an outlet for them. He trusts us so much that when two guys come at him he’s willing to give up the ball to make the simple, right play, and I think that’s something he’s grown in the last three or four years – just making the right play to make a play. It might not be noticeable or anything, but I think if you do the right thing consistently most of the time, then you’ll notice it.

“And of course he still does great in other areas, but I think it’s just the little things that stand out.”

Hauser, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford all returned to action on Wednesday after sitting out Monday’s win.

With Tatum’s streak coming to an end, Payton Pritchard is now the only Celtics player to have seen action in every game this season. Pritchard was also the only Celtic to take part in every regular season game in the 2023/24 season.

Originally published: December 4, 2024 at 5:41 pm EST