Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is on the road to recovery following ankle surgery in late June. The 29-year-old Latvian big man has been diligently working to fast-track his return to the court, showing both optimism and resilience throughout the process.
Originally expected to be sidelined for five to six months, Porzingis is now eyeing a return as early as December. Over the weekend, significant progress was made as he took notable steps in his rehabilitation. He has begun running and engaging in light contact drills, including one-on-one play.
"I think I've started the next stage now as I got here," Porzingis shared. "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."
The Celtics' medical team, led by team president Brad Stevens, has emphasized a cautious approach given the unique nature of Porzingis' injury. Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum in Game 2 of the NBA Finals last season but played through the pain, logging 16 minutes in Game 5 despite the injury.
"Kristaps obviously had the surgery that was well documented after the year and seems to be recovering well," Stevens noted. "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."
Despite this optimism, Stevens and the coaching staff are taking no chances. Veteran Al Horford is expected to start at center at the beginning of the season, with backups Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman ready to provide necessary support during Porzingis' recovery period. The Celtics are ensuring that they have ample coverage to avoid any rush in bringing Porzingis back onto the court.
For his part, Porzingis has expressed a strong desire to return to play sooner rather than later. "The expectation is sometime in December, but I'm feeling really good and I'm working towards hopefully playing earlier than that," he declared. However, he acknowledges the importance of adhering to the medical staff’s advice. "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. But that's a good sign. I'm feeling really good. My ankle's feeling really, really good."
Last season, Porzingis' resilience shone through as he played pivotal minutes in Game 1 of the NBA Finals despite coming off a calf injury. His determination and commitment have been evident both on and off the court. Now, his focus remains on making a full recovery and coming back stronger for the Celtics' upcoming challenges.
"Doing a good amount of stuff" has been his mantra, and he remains "optimistic as always" about his path back to the court. This steadfast optimism bodes well for both Porzingis and the Celtics as they look forward to his return.
As the recovery process advances, Porzingis and the Celtics continue to keep their eyes on the prize, hoping for a timely and healthy return. With his impressive work ethic and the team’s cautious yet hopeful approach, fans have much to look forward to as December approaches.