(Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics are going to the NBA Finals after sweeping away a seemingly game Indiana Pacers team on Monday.
After making it to the Eastern Conference Finals six times in the last eight seasons, this appears to be their best chance to win their first world championship since 2008.
A sizable key to their team this year has been center Kristaps Porzingis, who has been sidelined with a calf strain since the first round of the playoffs.
Per “The Rally,” Shams Charania reported that “there is optimism” that Porzingis will be able to return for Game 1 of the championship series.
“There is optimism, there is hope, that Kristaps Porzingis will be ready to go.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania updates us on the chances of Porzingis playing in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/zywAGVVAbZ
— The Rally (@TheRally) May 28, 2024
The good news for Porzingis and the Celtics is that Game 1 won’t take place until next Thursday, which should give him plenty of time to get himself right.
However, a calf strain isn’t an injury to take lightly.
Five years ago, Kevin Durant suffered a calf strain in the second round of the playoffs, and he returned for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, only to promptly tear his Achilles.
Porzingis has a pretty lengthy history of injuries, so it wouldn’t be smart for the Celtics to be aggressive when it comes to getting him back onto the court.
This current iteration of the Celtics, which has been led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, has known nothing but postseason disappointment, as they lost in the 2022 Finals to the Golden State Warriors after taking a 2-1 series lead.
Anything less than an 18th Larry O’Brien Trophy this year would likely be considered a failure for the proud and storied franchise.
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