Mitchell Robinson was added to the Celtics injury report Sunday morning as questionable with rest ahead of the game against the Orlando Magic. He has started all five games this season, so any absence would change Boston’s starting five for a matinee that also comes with another game on Monday against the Houston Rockets.
The search for answers around Celtics Vs Magic is about whether Robinson actually sits or suits up. He has not missed a game this season, and the question now is whether Boston decides to use the front end of a back-to-back to manage him or keep him in the lineup for a game that arrives less than 24 hours before the Houston matchup.
Robinson has averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 20 minutes per game, and the numbers around Boston’s center rotation give the issue more weight. The Celtics have been outscored by 26 points in Robinson’s minutes so far, while they have outscored opponents by 52 points in Neemias Queta’s minutes, a split that shows why every decision at the position is being watched closely.
Joe Mazzulla said back-to-backs are handled case by case. “It just depends,” he said, adding that the team trusts its sports science staff and the competition from its players. He also said the locker room has built on 1-15, 16, or 17 being able to impact winning, and that the goal is to do what gives the Celtics the best chance to win while keeping players healthy.
That is the tension around Robinson’s status. He is not the only Celtic on the report; Devin Carter is also listed as he continues to recover from illness, though he has rejoined the team. Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Robinson were all clear on Tuesday’s injury report even with that game coming on the second night of a back-to-back, which shows Boston has not used a single rule for managing its schedule.
If Robinson is held out, Boston will be turning to a rotation it has already leaned on and trying to do it on a day when the game count is climbing fast. If he plays, the Celtics avoid a change to a frontcourt that has started the season with him in the middle. Either way, Sunday’s report makes Monday’s Houston game part of the calculation before the Orlando game has even tipped off.
