Last week, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to secure a spot in the NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics had just defeated the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and were watching from the sidelines, waiting to see who their opponent would be.
Both teams are in the best-of-seven final series and while they both have star players, they will need every player to ultimately win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
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Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis appears on track to return in time for the start of the NBA Finals. (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images/File)
For Boston, key players who helped them secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference this year are set to return in time for the Finals.
Kristaps Porzingis, a 7-foot-4 big man who has no limitations when healthy, has been bothered by a sore left calf muscle since straining it in Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Miami Heat on April 29. He hasn’t been on the court since, as the team swept past their rivals.
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Porzingis last spoke on May 4, when he said the injury was “no big deal, no big deal” and that he needed time to heal, but his teammates filled the void, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in the second round and then dominating the Pacers.
Porzingis sent Celtics fans into a frenzy last Wednesday when he posted on social media, “Will be back in action soon. See you in the Finals.”
It’s unclear whether Porzingis will be available for Thursday’s series opener against the Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, but head coach Joe Mazzulla noted how great it will be to have Porzingis back with the team.
Boston Celtics guard Kristaps Porzingis high-fives his teammates during Game 2 of the second round of the playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden in Boston on May 9, 2024. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
“When KP is at his best he’s great for us and we expect that from him and we know he’ll give it to us,” Mazzulla said.
Porzingis was spotted working on 3-pointers at Celtics practice over the weekend and also took part in a 5-on-5 drill last Saturday.
As long as the Celtics determine Porzingis meets all the playing criteria, Boston will have a forward/center back to field against a Mavericks team that is in top form thanks to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
The Celtics also have a voracious backcourt with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but Porzingis has also been a big scorer when healthy, and he’s shown an ability to make things happen on both ends of the floor this season, averaging 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 57 games.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis appears on track to return in time for the start of the NBA Finals. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images/File)
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Being able to utilize his skills would bode well for the Celtics, who lost in the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals respectively the past two seasons and, despite regular season success, have not won the O’Brien Trophy since the 2007-2008 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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