Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla suggested Wednesday that star big man Kristaps Porziņģis is getting closer to a return from injury ahead of the NBA Finals.
Speaking on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand, Mazzulla said that while he doesn’t know if Porziņģis will be ready for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he has been “ramping up the intensity level” of his on-court work recently:
Porziņģis has not played since Game 4 of Boston’s first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat due to a calf strain.
The Celtics acquired the 7’2″ center from Latvia in a trade with the Washington Wizards before the 2023-24 season.
Arriving with guard Jrue Holiday and joining an already stacked roster that included Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, Porziņģis instantly established himself as a key player and a great fit.
Appearing in 57 games in his first season with the Celtics, the one-time All-Star averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
With Porziņģis as a key contributor, the Celtics went 64-18 during the regular season, which was the league’s best record by seven games.
Before getting injured, the 2015 first-round pick of the New York Knicks played in four postseason games for Boston, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 three-pointers made, 1.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals.
Since Porziņģis landed on the shelf, the Celtics have closed out the Heat in the first round, defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round and taken down the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Boston has just two losses in these playoffs, and without Porziņģis, the Celtics are an impressive 9-1.
After sweeping Indiana, Boston is awaiting its NBA Finals opponent. The Dallas Mavericks hold a 3-1 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.
Based on how they played in the regular season and have performed during the playoffs, the Celtics will likely be heavy favorites to win a championship regardless of their opponent and regardless of Porziņģis’ status.
Boston is undoubtedly a more complete team with Porziņģis in the fold, though, and his return would provide the Celtics with a massive boost in their pursuit of their first NBA title since 2008.