On Wednesday afternoon, Boston Celtics fans finally got the update they had been waiting for on Kristaps Porzingis’ injury.
The big Latvian took to Twitter/X to tease a return to the floor in the NBA Finals.
Paldies visiem, kuri atbalsta un jūt līdzi visas sezonas garumā.
Pavisam drīz jau būšu atpakaļ ierindā. Tiekamies finālos ☘️ un pēctam arēnā ar savējiem— Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) May 29, 2024
The post, originally in Latvian, translates to, “Thank you to everyone who supports and sympathizes throughout the season. I’ll be back in line soon. See you in the Finals and then in the arena with your own.”
The big man has been sidelined with a right soleus strain since April 29, when he left Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Miami Heat.
A few hours prior to KP’s post, head coach Joe Mazzulla gave some insight on his progress towards a return from injury.
He said that Porzingis is “ramping up on the court a little bit,” during his weekly appearance with 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand.”
He added that Porzingis is working extremely hard to get back out there, has been participating in shootarounds, and is working in one-on-one settings.
Despite Mazzulla’s uncertainty about his status for the Finals, the big man is going to have plenty of time to continue preparing for a return to the lineup. The Celtics are still eight days away from Game 1 on Thursday, June 6. With this in mind, it makes sense for Porzingis to share a confidence that he will be back.
Though Boston has put together an impressive 9-1 record in the games without KP, they’ll be happy to have him back with their 18th NBA title hanging in the balance.
The 28-year-old has been impressive in his debut season for the Cs, appearing in 57 games and playing about 29.6 minutes each time. Porzingis averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting a career-high 51.6% from the field.
His presence adds an extra layer to Boston’s offense, allowing them to run things through him in the high post. Porzingis has been fantastic there all season, punishing opponents with his turnaround jumper.
Whether it winds up being the Dallas Mavericks or Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals, the Celtics will be better off with Porzingis on the floor.
