Continuing their successful run in the ongoing tournament, the Boston Celtics recently entered the Conference Finals for the third consecutive time. The franchise had gone through the second round of the playoffs without the presence of power forward Kristaps Porzingis, who was sidelined due to an injury. While the team currently holds a 1-0 lead over the Indiana Pacers, having Porzingis back would go a long way in securing their position. Unfortunately, the same won’t be possible going into Game 2.

This is due to the fact that a few hours ago, NBA reporter Taylor Snow took to his official X account to highlight details from the Celtics’ recently released Injury Report. According to the report, the Latvian player remains in the ‘OUT’ category. Furthermore, center Xavier Tillman, who has been absent from the main lineup for the last four games, is also listed as ‘Questionable’ for personal reasons.

Kristaps Porzingis was available during the first round of the playoffs when the Boston Celtics faced off against the Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat. By the time the series entered Game 4, his team was leading by 2-1. However, during the very same clash, the player developed an injury in his right calf muscle. As a result, he had to exit the game after spending just 14 minutes on the court. Thankfully, Derrick White and other players carried the offensive effort and put up a comfortable win.

According to renowned ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the 28-year-old was more than expected to miss the first two games of the Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. However, a couple of days ago, he reported that some undisclosed sources have stated that the player could return during Game 4. It was also revealed that Porzingis has been “accelerating his on-court ramp up” and improving his fitness regime. At the same time, however, the Celtics will reportedly “continue to be conservative in his recovery” and not make the player take unnecessary risks. In the absence of Porzingis, the team’s secondary center/power forward, Al Horford, has been filling in for him. He will be expected to do so again during Game 2 of the Celtics-Pacers clash.

Xavier Tillman had missed Game 1 of the Celtics-Pacers series after the player took to social media to reveal that his father had passed away. Given the circumstances, it would make sense for the player not to be available during the upcoming games.

From the Indiana Pacers’ side, the only player listed on the Injury Report is Bennedict Mathurin. He developed a shoulder injury in March that caused him to miss out on the upcoming games. Furthermore, a season-ending surgery was later conducted to treat the ailment, removing any chances of him returning to the main lineup.

How has Kristaps Porzingis performed against the Indiana Pacers?

During his 9-year tenure in the NBA, Kristaps Porzingis has faced off against the Indiana Pacers 21 times. However, his brief time with the Celtics only allowed him to go up against the rival franchise on four occasions. The Celtics had a 3-1 record in these games, with Porzingis delivering an average score of 12.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. His average 4-9.8 field goals, 1-3.5 three-pointers, and 3.8-4.3 free throws achieved this score.

The last time that Porzingis faced the Pacers was on the 30th of January. Then, he helped Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s scoring effort by scoring 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists. His contribution made all the difference, as the Celtics barely won the matchup by scoring 129-124.

The attendees at the TD Garden in Massachusetts will unfortunately not be able to see Kristaps Porzingis on the court tonight. However, if the Celtics maintain their lead, the player may make himself available for the NBA Finals.