BOSTON — Kristaps Porziņģis took a long pause when asked if he’ll play pain-free in Thursday Game 1 before declaring he will. A day later, asked about any apprehension he feels about returning. He double-checked what the word meant before testing each leg out at the team’s TD Garden practice, leaning back on each as he tossed up shots. It wasn’t the one he’d use to describe how he feels.
Something, again, held the big man back from hyping his comeback.
After committing to return for the beginning of the Finals, Porziņģis noted the challenge ahead entering the highest level of the playoffs having not played in the previous two series. He isn’t cautious or nervous about playing, either, but doesn’t know how it’ll go.
“I haven’t played for a while,” Porziņģis said. “Tomorrow will be my first minutes in a while. I did as much as I could to prepare for this moment, but there’s nothing like game minutes and game experience that I’m gonna get tomorrow. So it’ll be tough to jump into the Finals like this, but I did everything I could to prepare for it and we’ll see tomorrow night.”
The Celtics removed Porziņģis from the injury report after their final practice before Game 1 on Wednesday. While minutes restrictions and his role aren’t clear yet, Joe Mazzulla expects to plug him right back into action without any issue aside from rust. Rhythm and conditioning could all play a part in how he fits into the group that went 9-1 without him. The physical concerns appear behind him over five weeks after suffering the soleus strain in Miami during Game 4 of the first round.
Several doctors who gave their outside analysis noted their confidence — even before Porziņģis spoke for the first time this week — about his timeframe being enough to play in the Finals. They cautioned the challenges associated with it, too, including him possibly not being 100%, a question Porziņģis didn’t answer, the risk of aggravation and the particular demand basketball places on that muscle in a seven-footer. Giannis Antetokounmpo said he didn’t come close to running at full speed over three weeks into his soleus recovery. Porziņģis feels good, but didn’t get to play in real games before the Finals — sounding as concerned about jumping into this spot than playing basketball in general.
“I think the medical staff would not put me out there if they wouldn’t be confident that I’ll be good,” Porziņģis said. “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. I have to be confident that it’ll be alright.”
The Celtics tried to ramp him up in recent days from what he and others with the team described as lighter workloads earlier in his rehab. Porziņģis didn’t participate in team shootarounds during the Indiana series, the only practice environment during the tightly packed east finals schedule. He, instead, shot on the side with Boston’s performance staff. Luke Kornet noted that Porziņģis’ recent practices featured contact, defensive situations and live up-and-down action. A brief video snippet from the team showed Porziņģis guarding Celtics assistant coach Tony Dobbins on the perimeter during five-on-five action.
It’s easy to imagine Luka Dončić lining up his former teammate instead to begin Thursday night. A far leap — no offense to Dobbins.
Kornet, Mazzulla, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford all felt confident in the work they’ve seen from Porziņģis and encouraged him during their recent interviews. Horford lauded how Porziņģis lives up to the moment come game time, an eagerness to get past the trial environments that Porziņģis also expressed. Holiday stressed how much the Celtics want him back and being part of their success.
For whatever concerns exist about re-injury, Dr. Adam Tenforde explained that Boston’s staff likely put Porziņģis through an extensive strength program to support not just the Achilles, the common ligament many worry about with a calf injury, but all the associate muscles that a calf deficiency could expose. Kornet saw him in the weight room often.
That makes Porziņģis’ return a mental hurdle as much as a physical one. He’s never played beyond the first round, and while Mazzulla has noted how the playoffs and the regular season are the same, rotations tighten that much more come Finals time. There’s more time between games. There’s more on the line. It’s a sprint, and all we’ve seen from Porziņģis, at least publicly, is a jog. He’ll try to break into his stride on Thursday.
“I’ve come back from multiple injuries, I’ve had these first games back,” he said. “Of course, not at this stage, but in the end, it’s just basketball. Of course, the intensity is a little bit higher, but I have to go out there and play like it’s basketball a game, an important basketball game, and that’s it. I don’t need to overthink. Just go out there and hoop.”
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