Porzingis gives positive update on his injury rehab for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics will not have Kristaps Porzingis starting at center when they host the New York Knicks and raise their 2024 NBA championship banner at TD Garden on October 22.
But it’s possible the 7-foot-2 big man could be back on the floor before the calendar turns to 2025 as he rehabs from a sprained left ankle.
“The expectation is sometime in December,” Porzingis said ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “But I’m feeling really good and I’m working to hopefully play sooner than that.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens wasn’t as eager to give a definitive timeline, but sounds pleased with the progress Porzingis is making to get back on the court.
“(The injury is) unique enough that we’re obviously not going to rush anything,” Stevens told Shelburne. “But I would say if we have a timeline in our head, we’re very, very encouraged by where he’s at.”
Porzingis played amazing in his first season with the Celtics.
He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range. He played in 56 regular season games, then missed 12 of the team’s 19 playoff games after suffering a leg injury in the first round against the Miami Heat. Porzingis returned in the NBA Finals and gave a great performance in Game 1 victory. He suffered his current injury in Game 2 of the series, though he made an appearance in the title-clinching Game 5.
The Celtics can and must be patient with Porzigins. He sounds pretty eager to get back, which is understandable, but this process shouldn’t be rushed. Although the C’s had a lot of success without him last season, he is still a very important piece to this roster and makes the team much more difficult to beat when he is on the floor.
Al Horford is more than capable of stepping in as the starting center while Porzingis is gone. Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman Sr. can provide quality minutes in that spot as well.
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