Neemias Queta Exits Portugal Win Over Spain With Injury Scare, Status vs. Georgia Unclear

Queta Was Rolling Before the Scare

Before anyone in the building was thinking about injury risk, Neemias Queta was simply playing well. The Celtics center put up 16 points and 9 rebounds for Portugal in a win over Spain in FIBA World Cup Qualification play, doing the kind of two-way work in the paint that's become his calling card at both the national team and NBA level.

That production came to an abrupt stop late in the game when Queta was helped off the floor. There was no hard fall highlight reel, no obvious collision just enough of a physical warning sign that Portugal's staff decided not to let him finish. The exact nature of the issue wasn't immediately clear in the moment, which is exactly why what happened next mattered so much.

Gomes Frames It as a 'Real Risk,' Not a Gamble

Portugal head coach Mario Gomes didn't hedge when explaining the decision to pull Queta. He said the medical staff flagged a real risk of the issue worsening if Queta kept playing, and that the coaching staff responded by choosing what Gomes called 'zero risk.'

"We didn't want to do anything that could jeopardize his health just to win a game," Gomes said, adding that he hoped the injury wasn't serious so Queta could "continue his career without problems." That's a notably direct statement from a national team coach — one that puts long-term player welfare explicitly ahead of a single qualifying win, even a meaningful one.

Gomes also noted the call was made in consultation with Portugal's physiotherapist and team doctor, and that staff from the Boston Celtics were on hand to help the medical team assess the situation. Later reporting out of Portugal described the issue as a mild right-hip injury, adding some clarity to what had initially been a vague, precautionary withdrawal.

Is Queta Actually Out for the Next Game?

Here's where fans need to be careful not to get ahead of the facts: nothing about Queta missing time has been confirmed. Gomes said he hopes Queta can play Portugal's next game against Georgia, but stressed that the final call depends on whether the hip issue turns out to be serious once fully evaluated.

Separate reporting has indicated Queta is not considered at risk of missing EuroBasket entirely, and that his removal from the Spain game was framed as precautionary rather than a reaction to a confirmed major injury. Put simply: this is a day-to-day situation, not a diagnosed multi-week absence — at least based on everything available right now.

For Celtics fans tracking this from afar, the instinct to worry is understandable given how much Boston has invested in Queta's development as a rim-protecting center. But the more accurate read at this stage is uncertain, not alarming — a distinction that matters until Portugal's medical staff actually clears or rules him out.

What to Watch Before Portugal Faces Georgia

Portugal's next matchup, against Georgia, is the immediate checkpoint for anyone following this story. A few concrete things to track between now and then:

• Whether Portugal's medical staff issues a formal update on the severity of Queta's hip injury
• Queta's status on Portugal's official game-day roster and participation report for the Georgia matchup
• Any follow-up comments from Gomes on whether Queta practiced or was limited leading into the game
• Continued involvement of Celtics medical staff, which suggests Boston is treating this as worth monitoring closely even during the offseason window

None of that means panic is warranted in Boston. It does mean the next real answer — play or sit — comes from Portugal's team sheet against Georgia, not from speculation in between.