BOSTON — As the Celtics prepare for the NBA Finals against the Mavericks, it looks like they’ll finally be whole again with Kristaps Porzingis coming back from injury. Porzingis admitted that it was tough watching his team make the Finals without him, but he should make an impact once he’s on the court.
But even if Porzingis hasn’t played in the last month and parts of the regular season, C’s coach Joe Mazzulla noted one of his best traits. Even though the C’s are full of veterans, Mazzulla brought some perspective on the type of experiences Porzingis brought to the locker room.
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“One of the best things that he’s brought to our team this year was his ability to just kind of stay balanced,” Mazzulla said. “He’s one of the more seasoned players. He’s been through so much. He’s played in the New York market, he’s played in Dallas, he’s played in Washington, and now he’s played here. So he’s kind of seen what the NBA is from every angle, and he doesn’t get too high and he doesn’t get too low.”
Of course, Porzingis is no stranger to the scrutiny that comes with playing in the NBA. He started his career in New York. After his time in Dallas didn’t work out, Porzingis was mostly written off despite showing plenty of talent throughout his NBA career. The big man has worked to rehabilitate his image throughout the past couple seasons in Washington then Boston. And now, just like he hoped when he okayed the trade to the Celtics, he’s just four wins away from a championship ring.
The Celtics have stressed that they’re not worried about incorporation Porzingis back into the lineup. Even during the regular season, Porzingis was in and out of the lineup because of some injuries he picked up. So the C’s got practice all season. And now, they’ll look to have Porzingis back at full strength as they look to hang Banner No. 18.
“He’s working on it,” Mazzulla said. “Thought he did a great job getting to this point. He’s going through the practices and we still have to see how he responds to each day to what he’s doing from a physical standpoint. So I think he’s on pace and he’s doing everything can to get back. So we’ll see how he feels tomorrow and we’ll see how he feels the next day and we’ll see how he feels heading into the game.”
