INDIANAPOLIS — The Celtics have put themselves in prime position for a smooth trip back to the NBA Finals after impressive Game 3 rally against the Pacers on Saturday night. Despite playing without Porzingis and backup center Luke Kornet, the Celtics won their fifth straight road game of the playoffs to put together a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Pacers. Boston is now 8-1 without their big man during the playoff run.
The end game now is quite simple for Boston. With Tyrese Haliburton hobbled, the Celtics have effectively locked up the series given that no team in NBA history has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit. That fact in itself should change the equation when it comes to assessing the return timetable of Kristaps Porzingis.
The center has not suited up since May 1st while recovering from a right calf strain and reports have circulated about him targeting a Game 4 return to the floor per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. There should no longer be any consideration on that front. As tempting as it is for Boston to want to get him into a low pressure situation ahead of an NBA Finals matchup, the risks far outweigh the upside at this point. Boston’s clutch win in Game 3 have unlocked more recovery and rehab time for the big man.
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The NBA schedule is set in stone at this point despite the fact that the Celtics and Mavericks could very well be on their way to wrapping up their series promptly. Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be next Thursday June 8th, giving Porzingis valuable additional recovery time to heal fully, something that is crucial for calf injuries to avoid reaggravation.
The logic of bringing Porzingis back even if he’s fully healed for Game 4 goes away if it’s just a potential one-game stint. What’s the point of shaking off any rust when he’s going to be sitting out for potentially another nine days before seeing a competitive game again?
There is also the competition to consider. The Celtics have shown they don’t need Porzingis to beat the Pacers in this series so that should factor into the calculus. The same can’t be said for a potential series against the Mavericks or Timberwolves. Both of those front courts have very big size threats that are strong rebounders (Daniel Gafford, Derek Lively, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns). Indiana has Myles Turner and some replacement level bigs off the bench in Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson. Boston’s undersized front court has had no real trouble with that group during the first three games and that shouldn’t change for whenever the final series win comes.
Saving Porzingis from any additional wear and tear (beyond the injury reaggravation risks) against the Pacers just seems smart risk management at this point. Indiana may not have a ton of talent but the likes of Aaron Nesmith play hard. With Kornet’s status moving forward uncertain after suffering a wrist injury in Game 2, putting Porzingis in the line of fire before necessary seems like a foolish bet given what lies ahead.
Ultimately, the Celtics put themselves in a position to be in this great spot during the regular season with their East playoff bracket. Opposing injuries have certainly aided the team’s path but a smooth road to the NBA Finals was earned after a 64-win regular season. Brad Stevens also built this team with enough weapons to withstand a Porzingis absence in the postseason, something they’ve done quite admirably for the last eight games.
The Celtics will get a chance to see whether Porzingis can get them over the hump this time once they get back to the NBA Finals. Until then, the priority needs to be making sure he’s as healthy as possible until that point. It won’t be easy for him to get his first taste of live action in such a high-intensity environment, but it beats the alternative.
