Celtics-Pacers Injury Report: Updates on Porzingis and Hauser

Bobby Krivitsky | Oct 29, 2024

Jun 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) looks on before game four of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Imagese / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Monday night at TD Garden, Payton Pritchard poured in 28 points off the Boston bench, carrying the offense in the first half before delivering another buzzer-beating triple as part of an 18-2 run that represented the turning point in the Celtics' 119-108 win over the Bucks.

HE DOES IT YET AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/uTddUeW3jx

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 29, 2024

"I live for those moments, [with] the clock winding down; I think there were six seconds left. Get to a spot and raise," said Pritchard post-game of his buzzer-beating abilities. "I kind of blackout in those moments and let it fly, and obviously, it works out a lot of the time for me."

Now, the NBA's reigning champions turn the page to an Eastern Conference Finals rematch against the Pacers.

A day before Wednesday's tilt, ESPN's Shams Charania shared an encouraging update on Kristaps Porzingis while on the Pat McAfee show.

"The Celtics are targeting December from what I'm told for Kristaps Porzingis and his return," said Charania, also noting how well the seven-foot-three center was moving during a pregame workout before Monday's matchup vs. Milwaukee.

Kristaps Porzingis is going through an on-court workout ahead of tonight’s game against the Bucks. He’s moving well. pic.twitter.com/WcqtGmssCR

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) October 28, 2024

Charania also stated that Porzingis has not progressed to contact yet. "What I'm told [is] this is where his return will be based on. The Celtics have a program for him. Essentially, once he's hit the metrics on his different body parts, they're essentially measuring parts of his body: his calves, his legs, [and] his knees, [etc.]."

ESPN's new NBA insider continued: "He just had this traumatic leg injury. Essentially, once his body and those muscle groups are all balanced and he's hit those thresholds, he will be cleared for a return. But the Celtics will be patient. They'll want to make sure he's 100 percent healthy. Until he reaches those metrics, he won't be back. But they're very optimistic."

While Porzingis progresses toward the December return he's targeting, Boston's injury report for Wednesday's game in Indiana also provided a positive update on Sam Hauser.

The six-foot-eight sharpshooter has missed the reigning champions' last three contests due to lower back pain that he described as flaring up on and off since the Summer.

But with the Celtics listing him as probable for Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Celtics appear like they'll welcome back a rotation fixture when they take the court for their playoff rematch against the Pacers.