The Boston Celtics play the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on February 24, 2026. This game looks different from what it could have been earlier in the season.Both teams are missing key players. That changes how the game will be played. It is less about star power and more about which team can adjust better and get enough from its rotation.Injury report: key absences on both sidesBoston will be without Jayson Tatum, who is still out after Achilles surgery. Jaylen Brown has also been ruled out with a knee contusion. That leaves a large gap in scoring and ball handling.Max Shulga is unavailable due to a G League assignment. Amari Williams is listed as doubtful.Phoenix also has several players out. Devin Booker remains sidelined with a hip strain. Dillon Brooks is out with a fractured hand. Cole Anthony is not with the team. Jordan Goodwin and Haywood Highsmith are also out. Grayson Allen is listed as questionable.With Tatum, Brown, and Booker not playing, both teams will rely on secondary options.Standings and team positionBoston enters the game with a 37-19 record. They are second in the Eastern Conference and trail Cleveland.Phoenix is around the .500 mark in the Western Conference. The team is still in the playoff mix after recent roster changes that included adding Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.Team Record East/West Rank Key NoteCeltics 37-19 (.661) 2nd East 5 GB of CavsSuns ~.500 (est.) Mid West Bolstered by tradesTeam stats and performanceBoston has been steady on both ends of the floor. They average 115.3 points per game and allow 108.0. Their shooting numbers are among the better ones in the league, and they do not turn the ball over often.Phoenix has had issues on defense. In recent games, they are allowing 126.0 points. Their scoring has held up, but efficiency and rebounding have been inconsistent.Stat Celtics (56 GP) Suns (Recent)PPG 115.3 116.0OPP PPG 108.0 126.0FG% 46.8% 44.3%3PT% 36.4% 35.0%REB 45.7 42.8AST 24.3 26.4Boston has an edge in rebounding and ball control. That could matter in a game where both teams are short-handed.Head-to-head outlookBoston has a slight edge in past regular-season meetings. These games have often been lower scoring.Phoenix usually plays better at home, but injuries make this harder to predict.Key matchupsBoston will need production from Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. They will have to handle more of the scoring and playmaking.For Phoenix, Jalen Green takes on a bigger role without Booker.Inside, Phoenix could use Nick Richards or Mark Williams. Boston will rely on Nikola Vucevic. Bench players like Baylor Scheierman and Royce O’Neale may also have a larger role.This game will likely come down to which team executes better with its available players.