Boston’s journey in the playoffs so far has not been too difficult. After winning the previous series with their opponent’s best player injured, the Celtics are only one win away from reaching the NBA Finals. But if they move on, the next one might be the toughest of the lot, whether it’s Dallas or Minnesota. They’d hoping for their injured star Kristaps Porzingis to return soon and ease their path. Initially, he was expected tonight but was later ruled out because of his calf injury. Now, insider Adrian Wojnarowski brings more updates about Porzingis’ possible return.

Although Porzingis is not playing tonight, he has made great progress in his recovery. And Woj revealed that he is expected to participate in a five-on-five before the first game of the NBA Finals if the Cs make it past the Pacers. Moreover, there is high hope he will suit up for Game 1 of the next series, regardless of the opponent. He’s been since the first round after suffering a non-contact calf injury in Game 4. The Cs have had to play most of the playoffs without him. In his absence, veteran Al Horford stepped in and he has done a great job on both ends.

Averaging over ten points and grabbing over seven rebounds per game, Horford has done everything to fill that Kristaps Porzingis void. Even in the last game, he scored 23 points and drained 7 three-pointers to help his team win. But they would still want KP back in the lineup to increase firepower. With his 7’2 frame, his return will help the Celtics strategize better against the lengthy lineup of both Dallas and Minnesota.

Dallas also has a big return incoming

On the other end, the Dallas Mavericks are heavy favorites to make it to the finals as they have already beaten the Wolves three times without facing a single loss. So, a Boston vs. Dallas finals might be on the cards very soon. While Boston is expecting their big man to return, the Mavs might also be coming in stronger. Suffering a separation in his right shoulder AC joint during the final game of the first round, Maxi Kleber has been out for most of the playoffs.

But with the Finals approaching and him making decent progress in his recovery, Kleber is also highly likely to make his return in the Finals if the Mavs get there. Averaging 4.4 points in the regular season while grabbing over three rebounds, Kleber played a decent role as a backup Center for the Mavs.

More importantly, his experience could prove crucial in the Finals as their other Center Dereck Lively II is still a rookie. He also suffered a brutal injury in the last game after taking a knee to the back of his head. So, the Mavs would love to have Kleber back in the lineup to give them more wiggling room in the rotation. With both stars expected to return from both teams, the Finals between Dallas and Boston would be a must-watch series.

Do you agree?

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