Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Celtics center Nikola Vucevic (4) reacts against the Phoenix Suns in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics Get Good Injury News, but Miami Heat Lose Star Player Wednesday Night

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By John Karalis | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 12:48 PM ET

After about a week of the Celtics dealing with a fairly long injury report, the news is starting to get better for the team.

Yesterday, the Celtics removed Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendinitis), Jayson Tatum (right Achilles injury management), Derrick White (right knee contusion), and Neemias Queta (right thumb sprain) from the injury report, clearing all of them to play against the Miami Heat tonight at the Kaseya Center.

Ron Harper, Jr. remained on the injury report with a right ankle sprain suffered during the win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Today, the Celtics upgraded him to available, leaving only Nikola Vučević on the report, still with a fractured right ring finger.

But even that situation is encouraging.

Vučević was on the floor for shootaround in Miami this morning, going half speed but using both hands.

Good sign: Nikola Vucevic is doing some on-court work here at shootaround in Miami

It’s been 3.5 weeks since he fractured his right ring finger pic.twitter.com/dfRqbDx8oi
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 1, 2026

There is still a splint on the right finger, but it hasn’t kept him from working on his game.

“I work with Vuc,” Celtics assistant Amile Jefferson said on the most recent White Noise Podcast. “Which is awesome, because I also played with Vuc in Orlando. He's hurt right now, so we've been doing a lot with his left hand, but it's really cool to work with him.”

He had surgery on the finger on March 7, and at the time the team said he’d be reevaluated in three to four weeks. This Saturday will mark four weeks, and two weeks ago, he was seen on camera telling an official “two more weeks” during a sideline conversation. So he’s close to a return.

Vucevic broke his finger in Tatum’s return game, so the Celtics have not had a clean, “no injuries to report” all season, so maybe they can sneak one in before the season ends.

While the Celtics got good news today, the Miami Heat did not. Norman Powell was ruled out of the game with an illness. The 32-year-old is averaging a career-high 22.1 points per game and became an All-Star for the first time this season. This will be his third-straight missed game.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (ankle), Nikola Jovic (back), and Pelle Larson (triceps) are all available to play. Andrew Wiggins (toe) is questionable.

Miami is a potential first round opponent for Boston. They are currently ninth in the East, but they’ve lost seven of nine games. They are a half-game behind Orlando for eighth, and a chance to avoid a guaranteed second game in the play-in tournament.

This article first appeared on Boston Celtics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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