The Boston Celtics welcomed one star back Friday night, but may have lost another. Just minutes into Jayson Tatum’s highly anticipated return to the lineup, center Nikola Vucevic exited the game after appearing to injure his hand, casting an early shadow over Boston’s matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.

The incident occurred less than eight minutes into the first quarter. Vucevic, the 35-year-old Montenegrin center, appeared to hurt his hand while receiving a pass from a teammate and immediately looked uncomfortable as play continued.

The moment dampened what had been an energetic start for the Celtics, who were welcoming back Tatum after a 10-month absence following an Achilles injury.

With 04:21 left on the clock, HC Mazzulla had to call a timeout. Upon reassessing Vucevic’s injury, the Celtics had to get him off the court and sent in Luka Garza instead. The former Chicago Bulls player left to head to the locker room.

NBA insider and league analyst Shams Charania later provided an update stating Vucevic had suffered a fractured finger on his right hand. The player won’t return for the rest of the game.

The veteran started the season with the Bulls but was traded to Boston (along with a 2027 second-round pick) in February in exchange for Anfernee Simons and a 2026 second-round pick.

This was just his 12th appearance for the visitors, but it ended prematurely. Before his injury, Vucevic was averaging 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and two assists in 11 games. He spent just two minutes on the court in the first half and could not add to his stats tally tonight.

Nikola Vucevic Set to Endure Extended Spell on the Sidelines

With the playoffs approaching, the injury immediately raised concerns about Boston’s frontcourt depth.

Charania later reported that Vucevic is expected to undergo a procedure on the fractured finger Saturday, with an initial recovery timeline of roughly one month.

Durability has rarely been an issue for the veteran big man in recent seasons.

Vucevic played 76 of 82 games in the 2023-24 campaign and has averaged at least 64 appearances per season since 2022-23. Most of his recent absences have been short, typically minor strains or illnesses that kept him out between one and 15 games.

Boston’s starting center remains Portuguese big man Neemias Queta, who has emerged as a steady presence this season.

Queta is averaging career highs of 9.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while Luka Garza provides depth behind him, the same role he stepped into Friday after Vucevic’s exit.

Losing Vucevic for an extended stretch still complicates Boston’s rotation as the postseason nears.

The timing adds a twist to an otherwise celebratory night: the Celtics finally welcomed Tatum back to the floor, only to see another key contributor walk toward the locker room minutes later.