Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis drops crucial injury update amid lengthy playoff absence

Kristaps Porzingis has already missed a significant time in the Celtics’ run. He is nursing a right soleus calf strain, the same injury that kept Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the NBA Playoffs. The unfortunate incident occurred when the Celtics big man tried to play the two-man game with Jaylen Brown in Game 4 of their first-round series. He has been out since Game 5 of their series against the Miami Heat.

There is still no timetable for Kristaps Porzingis’ return. However, the Celtics are missing a significant portion of his production already. The 20-point scorer did not just offer buckets for the Celtics. He also grabbed 7.2 rebounds alongside two assists during their insane 64-win regular season run. These numbers have now been spread out to Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta, and Xavier Tillman. Their depth and experience at the center position has been of great help since the star’s absence.’

Celtics ready to advance in the ECF

In the past seven years, the Celtics have never dropped their status as legitimate contenders to get out of the East. They have constantly proven this by going to five Eastern Conference Finals. It does not look like they are about to stop there because the likes of Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Porzingis have come to help the Jays.

What do they need to do to get to that coveted sixth appearance in the Conference Finals? The Celtics just have to execute. Oftentimes, the only thing barring themselves from a 20-point demolition of their opponents are their errors. It comes with the territory of playing the brand of basketball that Coach Joe Mazzulla opts to employ. It is one that is passing lane-reliant and very heavy on trying to make it rain from outside.

But, these errors have found their solutions in the past games. The Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-led squad has been driving straight into the tough Cavs frontcourt while looking for tough driving lanes. This helps them get points on the board if there are no perimeter shots available and also shrinks the Cavs’ defense at times.