PLANO ni Boston Celtics star Kristaps Porzingis, na hindi naglaro magmula noong April 29 dahil sa calf injury, na maging available para sa Game 1 ng NBA Finals kontra Dallas Mavericks sa Huwebes (Biyernes sa Manila).
“That is the plan right now,” pahayag ni Porzingis noong Martes sa kanyang unang public comments magmula noong Mayo 4. “Again, it’s a couple more days, and I think that could make a difference. Every day gives me a bit more time to get even better.”
Ang 7-foot-2 power forward/center ay nagtamo ng non-contact right calf strain sa Game 4 ng first-round playoff series ng Boston laban sa Miami Heat.
May average siya na 20.1 points at 7.2 rebounds at bumuslo ng career-best 51.6 percent mula sa floor sa regular season, ang kanyang una sa Boston. Kinuha siya ng Celtics mula sa Washington Wizards bilang bahagi ng three-team trade na kinasasangkutan din ng Memphis Grizzlies noong June 23, 2023.
Si Porzingis, 28, ay naglaro rin ng tatlong seasons sa Mavericks (2019-22), nagdagdag ng isa pang layer sa matchup makaraang umangat ang Boston sa 9-1 na wala siya. Dinispatsa ng Celtics ang Miami sa limang laro, ang Cleveland Cavaliers sa limang laro at ang Indiana Pacers sa four-game sweep sa Eastern Conference finals.
“I think it’s gonna be great,” ani Porzingis. “I played there for 2 1/2 years and I’m happy for everybody in Dallas. A lot of like great relationships I have there and I think they deserve to have some success like they’ve had this season.
“It’s gonna be fun going up against my old team, going back to Dallas, playing some games there. Looking forward to it.”
Subalit una ay kailangan ni Porzingis na maging malusog para makapaglaro. Ang tubong Latvia ay tinanong noong Martes kung nasa 100 percent siya makaraang muling sumama sa ensayo ng koponan.
“Good question,” aniya. “I don’t know. We’ll see. Done a lot of work up until this point. Done everything needed to get back into playing shape. We’ll see.”
Sinabi niya na mahirap gayahin ang game intensity sa ensayo ngunit “I have to be confident it will be all right.”
“I think the medical staff would not put me out there if they wouldn’t be confident that I’d be good,” sabi ni Porzingis. “I’ve done the things necessary to check the boxes, and that’s it.”
Kumpiyansa si Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla sa kakayahan ni Porzingis bilang isang veteran player sa kanyang pagbabalik.
“He’s been playing basketball for like 30 years,” ani Mazzulla . “He’s been playing intense situations his whole life, so I don’t think that will be much of an issue. I think everything was just dependent upon — obviously you can’t simulate the speed and the intensity of the game, which I think just comes with a little bit of reps.
“KP is a great player. I think just because you’ve been out for a month doesn’t mean you have to, like, relearn how to play basketball. He’s been doing a lot of great things for us this season on both ends of the floor with physicality, with intensity. And I expect him to pick up right where he left off, but obviously there will be a little bit of rust. Just not concerned because of the work that he’s put in and what he’s done in his career and what he’s done in this season for us.”
