Prior to their matchup with Dallas tomorrow, the Celtics have suffered a tremendous setback, as Joe Mazzulla has regretfully declared that…..

Prior to their matchup with Dallas tomorrow, the Celtics have suffered a tremendous setback, as Joe Mazzulla has regretfully declared that…..

The Boston Celtics’ three-game road trip against the Houston Rockets will start on a shorthanded note on Sunday night. Al Horford and Jrue Holiday have been downgraded to out for Boston’s game at the Toyota Center, the team announced on Sunday afternoon. The Saturday injury report had both players marked as questionable at first.

Over the past three weeks, Holiday’s right elbow sprain has appeared on the injury report multiple times. Horford is missing the start of a back-to-back game in order to rest. Monday night in Dallas is the team’s game against the Mavericks, thus it is anticipated that Horford will be back in uniform.

Following their convincing victory over Houston on January 13, the Celtics will want to sweep the season series against Ime Udoka, their former coach, and the Rockets. After a tough overtime victory over the Jazz on Saturday night—which also featured an injury to starting power forward Jabari Smith Jr.—Houston is probably going to be without a few players.

Boston will play the Nuggets on Friday night in an attempt to recover from their first-ever home loss of the season. Sam Hauser, who might start in place of Holiday in the starting five, will probably be able to play a greater number of minutes now that Horford and Holiday are not available. In an effort to manage minutes during a difficult scheduling stretch, Joe Mazzulla will also give Luke Kornet and Payton Pritchard some playing time.

The Celtics and Rockets play their first game on Sunday night in Houston at 7 p.m. ET.