Kristaps Porzingis suffered a “rare” injury in the NBA Finals. He could only play two games, enough for the Celtics to realize his importance in the squad. The Latvian has since been through an intense rehabilitation process. Even then he won’t be available immediately for the Shamrocks who are hoping to defend their title this coming season. The hopes are to have him back by December, during which time Horford will serve as the starting center.

But that doesn’t mean there are no positive updates in his recovery. Porzingis is eager to play basketball again. If it were up to him, he admits to acting “quicker”. However, due to the rarity of the injury, the advice is to not rush his return to action. However, he might just do so given the speed of his progression. According to Tim Bontempts, he wasn’t even showing signs of limping when he appeared on media day.

“Kristaps Porzingis, who is here without any sort of limp or brace on his ankle, said he’s already running and did some light contact over the weekend, and felt really good afterward, which he took as a very encouraging sign of his progress,” he reported.

Contact work is always a great sign of recovery from a major injury. Porzingis though is itching to play again. Not only was his play limited during the NBA Finals, but he couldn’t help his home country during the Olympic qualifiers either. All that combined has fostered an urgent drive within stretch five.

He isn’t making any hasty decisions. Porzingis is still taking advice from the doctors and gradually progressing. But his approach is to return before December. “I’ll be more than 100 percent ready for each stage [of injury rehab] that’s coming up now,” he vivaciously claims. His upbeat attitude is paramount in the Celtics having in available as soon as possible.

They do have a great roster without him. However, with the improved East, Kristaps Porzingis is essential for the Shamrocks to go back-to-back.

Kristaps Porzingis could be the key for the Boston Celtics

The celebrated stars will still remain Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and rightfully so. Apart from their unmoved loyalty toward the Celtics, they are by far the most prolific contributors behind the Celtics’ record 18th title. However, Porzingis adds dynamism to the roster that very few centers bring to any team.

Their offense benefits majorly with Porzingis on the floor. Due to his ability to shoot from long range, the Celtics become formidable. He had the third-best net differential on the team in the 57 regular season games he did appear in. However, his key trait is to enhance the Celtics as a defensive force.

His presence on the floor provides them with a striking shot blocker that moves unconventionally quickly for a man his size. Unsurprisingly, his 1.9 blocks per game led the Celtics last season. The next-best center, Horford, averages a single block and doesn’t have a reputation as a premier rim protector. Since the loss of Robert Williams III, who was an energized swatter, Porzingis became vital.

His ability to force tough shots at the rim blends well with the combination of Holiday and Derrick White hounding guards and forcing more inside shots for the opposition. Last season the Celtics didn’t falter without him. They won a rampant amount of games and seemed comfortable.

But the landscape has changed this time around. They are the side to beat and the East powerhouses have crafted their rotations with the aim to overthrow the Boston Celtics. As the champions, everyone is out to get them. With a healthier lineup though, they stand on equal footing with anyone, or maybe even a step above them. “Obviously, we’re better when he’s out there playing with us” Tatum detailed when he initially suffered an injury in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Mazzulla shares those thoughts as well.

That should be enough to understand the drastic impact Porzingis tends to have. Hopefully, he can make a return soon and stay away from any further injury threats.