Boston Celtics centre Kristaps Porzingis was seen taking shots following a team practice Friday afternoon and head coach Joe Mazzulla was positive when talking about his progress.
However, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Mazzulla did not commit to Porzingis being available for Game 1.
“Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he’s pleased with Kristaps Porzingis’ progress, [he] said in addition to shooting he also participated in a couple of drills today, too,” Bontemps wrote on X. “When asked if he was confident in Porzingis playing in Game 1, he stuck to being happy with where he is today.”
Porzingis hasn’t suited up for his squad since the first round of the playoffs, when he exited in Game 4 against the Miami Heat due to a calf strain.
Having a history of injuries, Porzingis managed to play 57 out of the possible 82 games in the regular season. He complimented the star-studded cast of the Celtics well, being one of three 20-points-per-game starters, alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Porzingis clocked in nearly 30 minutes a game, totalling 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while connecting on 51 per cent of his shots from the floor.
The Celtics still have nearly a week to see if Porzingis will be available for Game 1 of the Finals, which tips off June 6 against the Dallas Mavericks.
