Kristaps Porzingis details injury recovery process and NBA Finals return: ‘The goal is to finish the job’

It’s been over a month since Kristaps Porzingis stepped on the court for the Boston Celtics. A soleus strain he suffered in Game 4 of their opening round series against the Miami Heat has kept him sidelined, but his return is finally on the horizon.

The Celtics‘ impressive 12-2 playoff run has led them to the NBA Finals, and their dominance has given Porzingis plenty of time to recover.

Now, the big man is back, and he’s all smiles.

“How you doing, guys?” Porzingis said with a huge smile as he took the podium for his first media availability since early May.

“I’m feeling better each day,” he said. “It’s been a long process, I’m not gonna lie. It’s been tough to sit out, obviously. But I’ve tried to stay as engaged as I can with the team, and be around the team, and do my work, and then deal with the team.

“But it sucks. It really, really does suck. But we’re here now, and I’m feeling much better. Put in a lot of hours to get to this point, and [I] look forward to getting some action on the floor”

When the Celtics traded for Porzingis last summer, they did so in hopes of dynamicizing their play on both ends. And that’s exactly what he did. His improved post game and deep three-point range spaced the floor for the Celtics even more while simultaneously giving them a different way to score. Meanwhile, his interior defense provided them with an even stronger presence down low.

But without him, they’ve persevered. Led by Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford, and Eastern Conference finals MVP Jaylen Brown, Boston marched through the East.

“I think it speaks volumes for the whole roster,” said Porzingis. “Obviously, we’ve had, throughout the season, we already went through some things. Some guys are out, some of the lineups were changing, and we’ve kind of prepared ourselves for this.

“Seeing the level that Al was playing at, and other guys that stepped in and had minutes, it just shows that the work that they’ve been doing throughout the season has—It’s paying off.”

And now that the Finals are here, Porzingis couldn’t be more thrilled.

“It’s incredible,” Porzingis said. “Just the energy. Like, everybody’s buzzing. It’s gonna be exciting. It’s gonna be–Even just seeing the amount of people now, it shows the magnitude of this and what’s on the line.”

When Porzingis suffered his injury at the end of April, it was devastating. Last offseason, Boston was high on his list of preferred destinations because he wanted to compete for a title.

Yet when the time came for him to contribute to their playoff run, his hopes got chopped down. “I’m not going to lie, it’s tough,” Porzingis said right after the injury.

The physical side of things has been tough, but the mental journey has been just as difficult.

“As I said, it’s been long,” Porzingis said. “Maybe at first, everybody thought it was going to be quicker, but then it’s a little bit longer. So, it weighs on you. Especially like, you want to be with the team. You want to like help. You want to be a part [of it].

“But just seeing how everybody steps up and everybody [has] played up until this point is incredible, and [it] shows that the work that we’ve been putting in all season long is paying off. But it’s definitely tough.”

Despite that, Porzingis has adopted a mentality of doing whatever it takes to get back on the court, and at this time of year, he understands that excuses aren’t an option.

“There is no like- Who cares? Nobody cares,” Porzingis said. “Just prepare myself. [I] did what I [needed] to do daily to get back, and that’s it. We have this opportunity now, so go for it.”

This isn’t the first time Porzingis has had to deal with an injury. His time with the Dallas Mavericks was marred by ailments that kept him out for months at a time. He’s had to fight through these issues dating all the way back to his time with the New York Knicks.

He’s gained a valuable perspective that has helped himself and the entire team all season, and his experience goes beyond his ability to deal with injuries.

“One of the best things he’s brought to our team this year was his ability to just kind of stay balanced,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He’s one of the more seasoned players. He’s been through so much. He’s played in the New York market, he’s played in Dallas, he’s played in Washington, and now he’s played here. So, he’s kind of seen what the NBA is from every angle. And he doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low.

“So, I think he’s continued that even throughout this rehab process trying to get back. But it was something that kind of, I thought, helped us throughout the entire year. Just kind of the way he approached every day.”

Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA Finals kick off on Thursday, June 6. Celtics vs. Mavericks. Porzingis is planning to use the next few days to finalize his recovery process in hopes of a return to the court for Game 1. “That is the plan right now,” he said. “But yeah, again, it’s a couple more days, and I think that can make a difference. So, every day gives me a bit more time to get even better.”

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Porzingis will be a go for Game 1 prior to his chat with the media on Tuesday.

When asked if he’s 100%, Porzingis laughed and said, “Good question. We’ll see.” When asked if he’s running pain-free, Porzingis paused for a while, a smirk crossed his face, and he finally responded with, “Uhhh, yes.”

Nothing is for certain, but Porzingis trusts the team around him. “I think the medical staff would not put me out there if they wouldn’t be confident that I’ll be good,” he said.

The big man has missed a ton of time. Nothing he’s done in practice can prepare him for what the games will be like in the Finals. But he’s ready to do everything he can to help his team on the biggest stage.

“I have to feel confident,” Porzingis said. “I don’t want to go out there and be thinking about something. Like, it doesn’t matter. Once I’m out there, it has to be like full focus on trying to play the best basketball I can to help this team win.

“Obviously, as I’ve said, it’s not ideal that I haven’t had any real minutes, but I roll with the punches. And it is what it is. So, I’m just trying to be the best I can be with the given circumstances.”

The Celtics need four more wins to bring home Banner 18, and Porzingis is fully prepared to give them everything he has to help them achieve that goal.

“As a team, the organization, we’re going into this series with full confidence and knowing that no steps were skipped, and the goal is to finish the job.”