It was a thrilling night as the 76ers edged out the Celtics 117-116 in a nail-biting finish. The game was a rollercoaster, with momentum swinging back and forth and keeping fans on the edge of their seats. In the third quarter, the Celtics had looked dominant, building a 35-18 lead, but the 76ers stormed back in the fourth, outscoring Boston 42-30 to snatch the win. The anxiety grew after a tense second-quarter incident, and as the final buzzer sounded, the Celtics’ fans’ worries were realized.

During Wednesday’s game against the 76ers, the Celtics confirmed on their official X account that Luka Garza would miss the rest after a concussion. The injury occurred late in the second quarter when he collided with 76ers center Adem Bona while chasing an offensive rebound. Surprisingly, he didn’t leave the court immediately, played for another minute or so, and even blocked a layup from Tyrese Maxey, who had scored 19 points in that quarter.

Garza’s final stat line for the game ended up being six minutes of play, during which he didn’t score but grabbed two rebounds and recorded the impressive block on Maxey. After leaving, he entered stage one of the league’s concussion protocol. 

According to NBA rules, “If a player is suspected of having a concussion, or exhibits the signs or symptoms of a concussion, he must be removed from participation by either a team physician, or an athletic trainer… and undergo evaluation in a quiet, distraction-free environment conducive to conducting a neurological evaluation.” Before returning, the medical staff also reviews the video to understand the cause of the injury.

Even if Garza isn’t officially ruled as having a concussion, the Celtics’ medical staff will closely monitor him and run more tests within 24 hours. If he does have a concussion, he must sit out all basketball activities for at least 48 hours and pass several tests before playing again. 

Meaning? He could miss Boston’s next game in New York on Friday. This also means that the Celtics rely more on Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman Sr. to fill the minutes and maintain their rotation.

Although his minutes were limited in this game, Garza had been getting more playing time during the preseason, averaging 15 minutes per game. He averaged 9 points and 3.3 rebounds per outing, shooting 42.5% from the field, and showed a knack for getting to the free-throw line, averaging five attempts per preseason game.

Returning to the game, Philadelphia‘s Maxey led the charge with an impressive 40 points and six assists, dominating the floor. Edgecombe made a big splash in his NBA debut, scoring 34 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Dominick Barlow added 13 points, eight boards, and five assists, while Kelly Oubre hit a key three-pointer and finished with 10 points.

Grimes contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists off the bench. Joel Embiid played 20 minutes, recording four points and six rebounds, but the team still edged past the Celtics in a nail-biting finish.

Luka Garza’s opportunity: Stepping up amid Celtics’ roster shakeup

This was supposed to be Luka Garza’s season. It still could be. With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the year after his Achilles injury, the Celtics had to rethink their lineup altogether. That meant shaking up the roster and giving players who might usually sit on the bench opportunities. 

Big men like Garza, Josh Minott, Neemias Queta, and Xavier Tillman suddenly had a bigger role. They even traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, let Al Horford leave in free agency, and watched Luke Kornet sign elsewhere. That cleared up the center position, giving Garza a real chance to contribute. 

Known for his back-to-the-basket style and scoring ability in college, Garza joined Boston after a rookie year in Detroit and three seasons with Minnesota, mostly in limited minutes. Even in that time, he showed incredible scoring efficiency, averaging 34.36 points per 48 minutes, the highest in Timberwolves history for players with 50+ games.

 “Offensively, I know that’s the side that I have a lot of confidence in… I can really help a team in many ways, just create good offense, create good flow within it and always be able to help get shots up there, whether it’s for myself or my teammates,” Garza said.

Garza’s previous experience also prepared him for a team competing for titles. He played in twelve playoff games with the Timberwolves, including back-to-back Western Conference Finals, but never had a consistent role due to a crowded frontcourt. 

In Boston, the open depth chart, Tatum’s absence, and his own scoring ability gave him a real chance to contribute meaningful minutes. “Obviously, the franchise speaks for itself and just the winning and the history,” Garza told MassLive’s Brian Robb at Summer League, explaining why he joined Boston earlier this summer.