Joe Mazzulla Shares His NBA Finals Expectations for Kristaps Porzingis

Bobby Krivitsky | Jun 4, 2024

Feb 27, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) high fives center Kristaps Porzingis (8) after a basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday afternoon at the Auerbach Center, Kristaps Porzingis strolled to the podium, flashed an ear-to-ear smile, and confirmed reports that he is on track to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

The seven-foot-three center also opened up about the mental side of dealing with a physical injury, a soleus strain in his right calf that has sidelined him since Game 4 of the Celtics' first-round series against the Heat.

As he ramps up for a return from an absence that will span 38 days, barring any setbacks that prevent him from suiting up on Thursday, the Latvian native, who's shown his true emotions without hesitation throughout a first year in Boston that he's consistently raved about, made no attempt to hide his eagerness to go from having never played in a postseason game past the opening round to taking the floor for the NBA Finals.

"It's incredible," voiced Porzingis. "It's incredible; just the energy. Like, everybody's buzzing. It's gonna be exciting. It's gonna be -- even just seeing the amount of people now, it shows the magnitude of this and what's on the line. And we're going, as a team, the organization, we're going into this series with full confidence and knowing that no steps were skipped, and the goal is to finish the job."

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The former All-Star also discussed his conditioning and the confidence he has in his body as he continues attacking his rehab so he can not only return but perform at or as close to his standard as possible to help the Celtics achieve the mission they brought him in and reshaped their roster's core to accomplish.

"I have to feel confident," expressed Porzingis. "I don't want to go out there and be thinking about something. Like, it doesn't matter. Once I'm out there, it has to be like (the) full focus on trying to play the best basketball I can to help this team win. Obviously, as I've said, it's not ideal that I haven't had any real minutes, but I roll with the punches. And it is what it is. So, I'm just trying to be the best I can be with the given circumstances."

Arriving at the Auerbach Center podium after him, Joe Mazzulla shared what he's seen from his starting center, who's gone through two scrimmages in three days and participated entirely in a moderate practice on Saturday.

"(I) thought he's done a great job working to that point. He's going through practices. Still have to see how he responds each day."

As for re-integrating Porzingis into the lineup after an extended absence, doing so at the most crucial chapter of the Celtics' season, Boston's bench boss cautioned against making that a bigger deal than it is.

"He's been playing basketball for 30 years, and he's been playing in intense situations his whole life. I don't think it's that much of an issue. Obviously, he can't simulate the speed and intensity of the game, and I think that comes with a little bit of reps. KP is a great player. Just because you've been out for a month doesn't mean you have to re-learn how to play basketball."

Further Reading

Kyrie Irving Shares Regret and What He Takes from Playing in Boston

Celtics' All-Defensive Guards Relishing Chance to Defend Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic

Jayson Tatum Grateful for Second Chance in NBA Finals

Kristaps Porzingis Making Encouraging Progress Toward NBA Finals Return

Joe Mazzulla Eviscerates Contrived Narrative about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Celtics-Mavericks NBA Finals Has Kyrie Irving Between Boston and Banner 18

Al Horford Returns to NBA Finals Aiming to Add to a Legacy Already Cemented

Jaylen Brown's Evolution Propels Him to Eastern Conference Finals MVP