Porzingis gives encouraging update on injury recovery

BOSTON — Brad Stevens wouldn’t provide a timeline for Kristaps Porzingis’ return to the Celtics. But the big man sounds confident that he’ll be back before the calendar flips to 2025.
After winning his first title with the Celtics, Porzingis spent his offseason recovering. He went under the knife shortly after the team’s victory parade through Boston to repair a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon, which he suffered in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. He was given a 5-6 month timetable to return, and Porzingis told ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne that he expects to be back “sometime in December.”
“But I’m feeling really good and I’m working towards hopefully playing earlier than that,” Porzingis told Shelbourne. 
Porzingis spoke with reporters at Celtics Media Day on Tuesday, and said that he was able to start doing on-court work in August. He said that he’s now running, shooting, and going through some light contact, adding that his ankle feels “really good.”
“I’m looking forward to keep making progress at this rate and be out there with the guys as soon as possible,” Porzingis said at Media Day.
Stevens sounded pretty optimistic about the big man on Tuesday as well. The C’s president of basketball ops. was the first member of the organization to hold court with reporters at The Auerbach Center, and while he wouldn’t put a timeframe on Porzingis’ return, Stevens painted a promising picture on his recovery.
“He seems to be recovering well. He’s very optimistic,” Stevens said of Porzingis. “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. Maybe a little surprised.”
While Porzingis’ recovery may be going well, don’t expect the Celtics to rush him back too soon. They’d rather have him on the court in the playoffs than throughout the regular season, even though he was a big part of why the Celtics had a historically great offense — and a very solid defense — throughout the 2023-24 campaign. 
Porzingis played in 57 games during the regular season last year and was a big hit in his first season with the Celtics. He helped open the floor by knocking down 37.5 percent of his shots from three, and was also a strong rim protector with 1.9 blocks per game. 
Veteran Al Horford will likely start in his place, while Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta will see a lot of action off the bench. Stevens said Tuesday that Tillman underwent a scope on his knee in late July, but the reserve will be a full go at Boston’s first practice of training camp on Wednesday.