Celtics' Luka Garza Fills Key Role as Timberwolves Visit

Boston center steps up with Nikola Vucevic sidelined by injury

Mar. 22, 2026 at 5:49am

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With Celtics center Nikola Vucevic out due to a broken finger, Luka Garza has stepped up in his absence, scoring at least 15 points in three of his last four games, including a season-high 22 in Friday's win over the Grizzlies. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised Garza's play on both ends of the floor, saying he does a great job screening and reading plays. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, have been without star Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid due to injuries, and coach Chris Finch criticized his team's lack of defensive intensity in the first half of their recent loss to the Trail Blazers.

Why it matters

Garza's increased production has helped the Celtics maintain their strong play despite the absence of Vucevic, a key part of their frontcourt. The Timberwolves' struggles without Edwards and Reid highlight their reliance on their star players and the need to find more consistent defensive effort.

The details

Luka Garza has stepped up in a bigger role for the Celtics since Vucevic's injury, averaging 7.6 points per game on the season but scoring at least 15 in three of his last four. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised Garza's all-around play, saying he does a great job screening and reading plays. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, have been without Edwards (knee) and Reid (ankle) in recent games, and coach Chris Finch criticized his team's lack of defensive intensity in the first half of their loss to Portland on Friday.

  • Vucevic underwent surgery on his ring finger on March 7 and is not expected back until the first half of April.
  • The Celtics and Timberwolves will face off on Sunday night.

The players

Luka Garza

A Celtics center who has stepped up his production with Nikola Vucevic sidelined by injury.

Nikola Vucevic

The Celtics' starting center who is out with a broken finger and not expected back until early April.

Anthony Edwards

A star player for the Timberwolves who has missed recent games due to a knee injury.

Naz Reid

A Timberwolves player who has missed the last two games with a right ankle sprain.

Chris Finch

The head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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What they’re saying

“He was great on both ends of the floor. He does a great job screening. They (the Grizzlies) play a hectic style. They put a ton of pressure on you from a physicality standpoint and you have to be able to read and make plays and play through physicality. No one's better at that than Luka.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Head Coach

“Guys have always stepped up. In my position, just try to make the little plays and help us win. So it's definitely fun when you're the guy doing that.”

— Luka Garza

“Slow start ... a step behind everything in the first quarter. We got down 18 points and then we started playing hard. The last few games we've had a lot of these starts. We got to figure it out because we put ourselves in a tough position.”

— Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves Player

“There wasn't defensive intensity in the first half. Thirty-three and 35 in the first two quarters and 40 in the last two tells the story.”

— Chris Finch, Timberwolves Head Coach

What’s next

The Celtics and Timberwolves will face off on Sunday night, with the Celtics looking to extend their winning streak to five games and the Timberwolves hoping to bounce back from their recent defensive struggles.

The takeaway

Luka Garza's increased production has helped the Celtics maintain their strong play despite the absence of Nikola Vucevic, highlighting the team's depth. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves' struggles without Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid underscore their reliance on their star players and the need to find more consistent defensive effort.