The Boston Celtics may not be looking like contenders, but they do have a baseline competence even with a new-look roster.
The Celtics have kicked off their 2025-26 season with a 4-5 record and the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference so far, with four-time All-Star small forward Jaylen Brown being the team’s predictable standout.
Boston will next square off against the Orlando Magic for its second Emirates NBA Cup game of the season on Friday. vanquished the Philadelphia 76ers in its inaugural Cup game of the season, 109-108, last week. The Magic have yet to play in a Cup game.
More news: Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Sought Advice From LeBron James for Surprising Reason
Per the league’s latest injury report, a pair of standard roster pieces have already been ruled out of the encounter.
Six-time All-Star Boston power forward Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ best player, remains on the shelf as he recovers from his right Achilles tendon tear. He’ll likely miss most or even all of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Backup power forward/center Xavier Tillman is unavailable due to personal reasons.
Injury Report for tomorrow at ORL:
Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair) – OUT
Xavier Tillman (personal reasons) – OUT
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 6, 2025
Although there’s been a lot of opportunity in the frontcourt amid Tatum’s injury and several roster churn in that department, Tillman has barely gotten off head coach Joe Mazzulla’s bench. Through seven healthy games with the Celtics, the 6-foot-8 Michigan State product has been averaging 2.9 points on 50 percent field goal shooting, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in just 8.7 minutes per.
A pair of rookie two-way players, center Amari Williams and guard Max Shulga, remain with Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
More news: Celtics Offseason Addition Flourishing in Role and Loving His Time in Boston
For Orlando, jump-shooting reserve center Moritz Wagner continues to rehabilitate from the ACL tear that caused him to miss all but 30 games last year. Everyone else is available as of this writing.
The 6-foot-11 Michigan product, older brother to rising Magic star forward Franz Wagner, had been averaging a career-best 12.9 points (on .562/.360/.718 shooting splits) and 4.9 rebounds, plus 1.4 dimes and 0.8 swipes, in just 18.8 minutes per for Orlando last year.
The Magic were encouraged enough by his production that, even with his injury, the team re-signed the older Wagner via a one-season, $5 million free agent deal to return to the hardwood over the summer.
For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.