Is Porzingis nearing a comeback? C’s big man is “hiding,” Forsberg says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have an ace in the hole, and they may not have to wait much longer to play it.
Big Kristaps Porzingis underwent surgery after the NBA Finals in June to repair a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibial tendon, and at the time, the Celts announced that he probably return to play in 5-6 monthswhich would be November or December.
Well, it’s now mid-November, and Porzingis was seen getting some on-court action before the Celtics’ game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Wednesday night.
after the game — 139-114 Boston win — Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg put Porzingis’ performance in an encouraging context.
“KP is lurking,” Forsberg told co-host Kayla Burton on NBC Sports Boston Celtics PostUp. “I said this: What he does in warmups is very similar to what we saw during the playoffs – maybe even a step beyond that – when he got in good enough shape to come out against Dallas for a game.”
Porzingis suffered his leg injury in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Miami Heat but stepped up his rehab over the next several weeks and was able to play Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Forsberg sees similarities between Porzingis’ rehab work in the playoffs and his on-court work now, which could mean the big man isn’t too far from a comeback.
“It’s easy to forget how good the Celtics have been, they get this 7-foot-2 guy back that makes them completely different,” Forsberg added. “So when I saw him out there tonight, relaxing, smiling like always, soaking it up on the way out of the yard, it’s a good sign that, hey, good things are coming.”
The stakes in mid-November are obviously much lower than the NBA Finals, so don’t be surprised if the Celtics’ approach to Porzingis’ return is conservative. The team is 10-3 through 13 games without him this season and went 10-2 in his absence last postseason, so they’ve found ways to succeed while he’s sidelined.
That said, the Celtics are definitely better when Porzingis is on the court, and his return would be very welcome for a team that is. had trouble on the boards and defending the paint early this season.
“You start thinking about what they’ve been struggling with, the glass and things like that, just sometimes when the offense cools down, like, all those things will be mitigated,” Forsberg added. “… It’s another level that this team is going to go to, even on nights like this, when they look amazing.”
Watch the video player above for more from Forsberg and Kayla Burton on Porzingis.
