A few days after Kristaps Porzingis suffered the soleus strain in his right calf that has sidelined him for the Celtics’ playoff run since Game 4 of their first-round series against the Heat, the seven-foot-three center sat in a chair overlooking the courts at the Auerbach Center, where he voiced, “I’m doing everything I can to speed it up because I want to be back out there as soon as possible.”
He’s remained engaged with his team, including helping with drills, while attacking his rehab, an approach that, coupled with time, has seen him become less of a spectator and more of a participant.
Porzingis did every drill the team went through at a moderate practice on Saturday; he’s scrimmaged twice in three days, and his calf has responded well enough for him to confirm reports of him being on target to return for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
When asked on Tuesday whether he’s at full strength, the Latvian native conveyed, “I don’t know. We’ll see. I have a couple more days, and I’ve done a lot of work up until this point, and I’ve done everything needed to get back into playing shape. We’ll see on the night.”
For a former All-Star who hasn’t played in a postseason game past the first round, seeing the Celtics advance through the Eastern Conference side of the bracket, doing so efficiently, which helped buy him more time, was simultaneously exciting and grating, as he wanted nothing more than to be out there with his teammates.
“It’s been a long process, I’m not gonna lie,” shared Porzingis. “It’s been tough to sit out, obviously. But I’ve tried to stay as engaged as I can with the team, and (to) 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. (I’ve) put in a lot of hours to get to this point, and (I) look forward to getting some action on the floor.”
Further opening up about the mental side of his recovery, which can at times present the most challenging hurdles to clear, the Latvian native expressed, “As I said, it’s been long. 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, you want to be with the team. You want to 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. But there is no like — who cares? Nobody cares. Just prepare myself, (I) did what I need[ed] to do daily to get back, and that’s it. We have this opportunity now, so go for it.”
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is 38 days from when Porzingis strained the soleus in his right calf. There is no substitute for playing in games, especially at the highest level of basketball, to get in equally as good shape as those who have endured the postseason grind.
But all Porzingis can do is put in the work necessary to build his stamina and knock off enough rust to be as ready as possible for his return.
“I have to feel confident,” he 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.”
And while he believes it will take until he’s gone from simulating game conditions to actually playing in them to know for sure if he’s 100%, Porzingis emphasized the importance of trusting the work he’s put in and operating with confidence as he tries to help the Celtics complete their championship chase.
“I think the medical staff would not put me out there if they wouldn’t be confident that I’ll be good. So, I’ve done the things necessary to check the boxes. And that’s it. Of course, it’s hard to imitate the same intensity in practice. That intensity is going to be a completely different level. But I have to be confident that it’ll be alright.”
Uncertainties exist that can only be eased by his body responding favorably to his return, and watching his team win without him acted as a double-edged sword. But Porzingis is on the verge of living out a childhood dream and returning to help try to complete the mission Boston brought him in to aid in accomplishing.
The pain of rehabbing and missing most of the Celtics’ postseason run will pail in comparison to the elation that would come from helping swing the series and lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
“It’s incredible. It’s incredible; 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. And we’re going, 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.”