3 Celtics Starters Could Miss Timberwolves Matinee Game

Nov 18, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

A triumvirate of Boston Celtics starters could sit out Saturday's clash against the similarly middling Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Per Boston's official X account, four-time All-Star small forward Jaylen Brown and starting center Neemias Queta could both join six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum riding pine for their matinee Minnesota matchup.

Injury Report update:

Jaylen Brown (low back spasms) - QUESTIONABLE
Neemias Queta - (left ankle sprain) - PROBABLE
Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair) - OUT
Derrick White - AVAILABLE https://t.co/ebtF9AhkRy

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2025

Brown is questionable to play through low back spasms. Queta is considered probable to return from his left ankle sprain. Two-time All-Defensive Team guard Derrick White has a right calf contusion, but he has been upgraded from probable to available.

At present, both the Celtics and the Timberwolves sport identical 10-8 records.

Boston's middling season start, which currently has it as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference, is less surprising than Minnesota's, given that the Celtics traded away starters Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in separate deals this summer, and let free agents Al Horford and Luke Kornet walk for better deals.

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Horford, 39, has looked pretty rough with the Golden State Warriors, but Kornet has been terrific with the San Antonio Spurs — lately, he has been upgraded to a starting role as All-Star center Victor Wembanyama recovers from a calf strain.

The Timberwolves entered the season expecting to contend for a top seed in the West alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets.

Instead, Minnesota is currently the No. 7 seed in the West, having looked a bit more mortal than pundits had perhaps anticipated heading into the 2025-26 season.

After all, Minnesota had snuck into the Western Conference Finals across each of the past two seasons, while sporting drastically different rosters around mainstays Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels.

The Timberwolves' Disappointing Season Start

Minnesota has dropped each of its last three games.

Gobert, now 33, has looked a step slow of late. Normally a regular season behemoth who can get exposed in the playoffs by the right matchup, his weaknesses have extended to the regular season now, too. He's still averaging a 10.4-point, 10.3 rebound double-double, plus 1.8 blocks and 1.8 assists. But he doesn't look the same.

Minnesota's 38-year-old former starting point guard Mike Conley's age is clearly catching up with him, too. Now finally moved to a bench role, the 6-foot-1 OSU product has been averaging a career-worst 5.8 points on 39 percent field goal shooting (41.5 percent from deep) and 91.7 percent free throw shooting. He has been replaced by Donte DiVicenzo, who's more of an off-guard than a pure point guard, but All-Star Edwards is really, functionally, the Timberwolves' lead guard anyway.

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