Two Boston Starters Listed Probable for Rockets-Celtics Clash

While the Houston Rockets’ season didn’t start out as anticipated, it seems the team is trending in the right direction. And they’ll look to continue that in a Saturday-night bout with the Boston Celtics.

Houston started out their 2025-26 campaign 0-2, falling in a double-overtime bout to the defending champion Thunder, then suffering a close loss to an Eastern Conference foe in the Detroit pistons.

Since then, they’ve won two games, toppling the Brooklyn Nets by nearly 30 points, before seeing a late surge against the Raptors.

Unlike last season, the Rockets have largely leaned on offensive to propel themselves to wins, averaging a league-high 127.8 points per game. They have a top-five rating in the league, behind only the Jazz, Pistons, Pacers and Knicks.

Many attribute the Rockets’ offensive surge to Kevin Durant, who’s immediately added his superstar punch with 27.5 points on 53% shooting. Still, players like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and more have certainly helped.

So far, the team’s defense has been spotty, though pundits across the league expect them to figure things out on that end given their personnel.

The Celtics, sitting at 2-3 on the season, would also love a Saturday-night win.

Here are the injury reports for both team’s ahead of tonight’s contest:

Houston Rockets injuries:

Dorian Finney-Smith — Out: Left ankle

Fred VanVleet — Out: Right knee

Boston Celtics injuries:

Payton Pritchard — Probable: Left ankle

Jayson Tatum — Out: Right achilles

Derrick White — Probable: Bilateral neck stiffness

The Rockets have gotten used to seeing lead guard Fred VanVleet on the injury report, as he's likely to miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season due to an ACL tear suffered in an offseason workout.

Dorian Finney-Smith, too, has been a mainstay, as he's been unable to work his way back from surgery this offseason. He's undoubtedly help Houston's efforts this season, offering starter-level shooting and defense on the wing.

The Celtics will be without superstar Jayson Tatum, who will miss the better part of the season, if not all of it due to an Achilles injury in last year's postseason.

Both Derrick White and Payton Pritchard — two starters vital to the Celtcis' success so far this season — were listed on the injury report, but are designated as probable. Pritchard packs an offensive punch at point guard, where White is one of the better two-way players in the league.

The Rockets and Celtics tip off at 7 p.m. CT tonight.