Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is making promising strides toward his return to the court following ankle surgery in late June. The 29-year-old Latvian big man has been working diligently to expedite his recovery, which initially had a projected timeline of five to six months.
Porzingis, expected to be sidelined until December, has taken significant steps in his rehab. Over the weekend, he began running and engaging in light contact drills, including one-on-one play. His recent activities have left him optimistic about an earlier return.
"The expectation is sometime in December, but I'm feeling really good and I'm working towards hopefully playing earlier than that," said Porzingis. "I think I've started the next stage now as I got here. Started running, had some light contact stuff. Played some, like, 1-on-1. I felt really good. I felt really good and the most important is I felt really good the next day, too. So yeah, looking forward to ramping up even more."
Boston Celtics staff, led by team president Brad Stevens, has emphasized caution given the unique nature of Porzingis' injury. Last season, Porzingis played through an ankle injury sustained in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, tearing his medial retinaculum. Remarkably, he managed to return and play 16 minutes in Game 5, despite the severity of his condition.
Stevens expressed satisfaction with Porzingis' progress but refrained from setting a concrete timeline for his return. "Kristaps obviously had the surgery that was well documented after the year and seems to be recovering well. He's very optimistic. I don't know that we're interested in putting a timeline on him because the injury is unique. But as far as how he feels and the progress that he's made, I'd say we're very, very pleased with where he is and maybe a little surprised," Stevens commented.
In Porzingis' absence, the Celtics plan to rely on veteran Al Horford to start at center. Backups Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman will provide additional support during Porzingis' recovery period. The big man acknowledged the need for patience but also expressed his eagerness to return as soon as possible. "Obviously the energy I'm feeling from the doctor, the surgeon, the medical staff is not to rush anything. But for myself, obviously, if you ask me and I had to do my own protocol, I would probably go quicker," Porzingis said. "But that's a good sign. I'm feeling really good. My ankle's feeling really, really good."
Porzingis' determined mindset and commitment to his rehab are encouraging signs for the Celtics, who eagerly await his return. "Doing a good amount of stuff" remains his mantra, and he continues to be "optimistic as always" about his path back to the court.
Before his surgery, Porzingis played pivotal minutes in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, despite previously dealing with a calf injury. His resilience and dedication to the team are well-noted, and his return is highly anticipated by both the Celtics' organization and their fans.
As the new season progresses, the Celtics will carefully monitor Porzingis' recovery, balancing the urgency to have him back on the court with the necessity of ensuring a complete and secure recovery. The road to recovery may be challenging, but Porzingis' progress and positive attitude provide hope that he will soon rejoin his teammates and continue to make significant contributions to the team's success.