Today, Boston Celtics fans got to see Kristaps Porzingis shooting around at practice and looking like his old self again. The center has been missing since the first round of the playoffs due to him straining his calf against the Miami Heat. Since then, he’s been sitting on the sidelines watching his team slice and dice their way to the Finals.
The rest and recovery he has gotten, thanks to his team’s efficiency, have been a key factor in his progress. Now, Porzingis could be ready to make his crucial return.
Kristaps Porzingis Lacing Up His Shoes
The Celtics big man was filmed participating in a five v. five drill during practice. In the video, he was seen catching the ball in the low post and backing down his defender for an easy layup. He was also able to jog back and forth on offense and defense, which is a great sign. It didn’t look like his injury was slowing him down, and no grimaces appeared on his face as he moved on the court.
Previously, Kristaps Porzingis was also seen knocking down some practice shots around the arch. Clearly, the Boston Celtics are trying to test out his limits and see if he’s ready for a return. All signs are pointing to yes so far. The Cs wouldn’t have the center involved in every aspect of the practice if they thought he couldn’t handle it.
Doing Everything With the Team
During a press conference, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told the media, “He did everything the team did.” This is following Mazzulla’s conversation about Porzingis being in good mental shape and healing at a solid pace.
One of the key factors in every sport is a coach knowing their players. They have to know how they’re doing physically, mentally, and emotionally. They also have to make their team’s health a number one priority and know when a player needs more time. If Mazzulla and the Celtics staff believe that Kristaps Porzingis is ready to roll, then his return is most likely imminent.
Celtics Need Porzingis to Beat Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks are a very tough team. They have a duo, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, that can both score 30+ points a game. This means that the Cs need to up their defense. Al Horford has done great for the team but he won’t be enough to lock up these two paint magicians. The rest of the centers have done decent work, but they aren’t ready for a task like this. The Unicorn will be a necessary factor for the Finals.
The issue is he’s very injury prone. One wrong step and all of that progress could go down the drain. Boston and their center need to be very careful with how they choose to play him. If he looks like he needs rest, they should immediately get him to the bench. If they are able to utilize Porzingis properly and he stays healthy, Boston could win their ring.
About the Author
Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all thing’s sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Her favorite sport to watch is basketball, but she also enjoys professional wrestling, soccer, and baseball. She also loves writing about anything ranging from sports articles, short stories, and poems. She hopes to one day write her own sci-fi series and adventure series. You can find her on X @edellapiana1 to check out more content.
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