With Boston’s Eastern Conference finals opener in two days, the Celtics anxiously anticipate Kristaps Porzingis’s return.
The 7-foot-2 big man is expected to miss at least the first two games of the series as he continues to heal from a calf injury he sustained in Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Miami Heat, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski this past Friday. It will be three weeks on Monday since Porzingis’ injury.
When Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla met with the media on Sunday after practice, he made it plain that they would be talking about Porzingis’ continued rehabilitation. With far to Porzingis’s comeback, Mazzulla didn’t say much except that he’s handling this playoff process psychologically.
Regarding Porzingis’ mental health, Mazzulla told reporters, “Great place,” according to Brian Robb of MassLive. “He’s putting forth a lot of effort every day to heal as quickly as possible. He so shows up for everything, and his efforts to return on time cannot be understated.
By going through short bursts on the riding cycle above the Celtics practice court at the Auerbach Center on Sunday, Porzingis seemed to be speeding up his recuperation. The 28-year-old has missed six straight games and only played a little amount of on-court action last week in Cleveland. He has been a consistent presence for the Celtics on the sidelines throughout the series.
Jrue Holiday told reporters, “We know KP, he works hard and he’s working hard to come back,” according to Robb. Additionally, if you are familiar with him, you know that he maintains his level of engagement with the team. He’s a terrific teammate, a fantastic guy in the locker room, and a really humorous guy. Thus, I believe it has been rather simple to keep him interested.
Holiday remarked, “You know that he wants to play.” Although it has been encouraging to watch him working and being outside with his teammates, you know that he wants to participate. And really, all we can do is pray for a speedy recovery so we can get him back on the field.
