After more than five weeks without playing due to a right calf injury, Kristaps Porzingis should be there for the first game of the 2024 Finals, but what form will the Celtics pivot be in? The Latvian has reassured the staff in training in recent days and received the green light to play against the Mavericks.
However, the oppositions in training are far from being comparable to the intensity of a match, especially when you are playing in the last series for the title. So, will Kristaps Porzingis be 100%?
” It's a good question “ sighs the pivot. “I don’t know, we’ll see. I still have a few days left, I've done a lot of work so far, I've done everything necessary to be back in shape. We will see… “
A long healing process
Kristaps Porzingis therefore intends to use the last days before the start of the series to return in the best conditions and refine his preparation, while he has been away from the courts for more than a month.
“I need to feel confident”affirms the pivot. “I don’t want to go there and think about anything else. Once I get on the court, I have to fully focus on trying to play the best basketball I can and help this team win. It's obviously not ideal not to have had real minutes, but I'm taking the hits and that's how it is. I'm just trying to be the best I can be given the circumstances. »
The road to recovery was long for the former Knicks, Mavs and Wizards player, it was complicated on a physical level, and the mind also played an important role.
“Like I said, it’s been a long time.”adds Kristaps Porzingis. “Maybe at the beginning everyone thought it was going to be faster, but it took a little longer. So it weighs on you. Especially if you want to be with the team. You want to help. You want to be part of the team. But just seeing how everyone has stepped up and how everyone has played so far is incredible, and it shows that the work we've put in throughout the season is paying off. But it was really difficult. »
| Kristaps Porzingis | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | NYK | 72 | 28 | 42.1 | 33.3 | 83.8 | 1.8 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 14.3 |
| 2016-17 | NYK | 66 | 33 | 45.0 | 35.7 | 78.6 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 1.5 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 18.1 |
| 2017-18 | NYK | 48 | 32 | 43.9 | 39.5 | 79.3 | 1.3 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 22.7 |
| 2019-20 | DAL | 57 | 32 | 42.7 | 35.2 | 79.9 | 1.8 | 7.7 | 9.5 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 20.4 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 43 | 31 | 47.6 | 37.6 | 85.5 | 1.9 | 7.0 | 8.9 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 20.1 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 51 | 29 | 45.9 | 31.0 | 86.7 | 2.0 | 6.1 | 8.1 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 20.2 |
| 2021-22 * | DAL | 34 | 30 | 45.1 | 28.3 | 86.5 | 1.9 | 5.8 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 19.2 |
| 2021-22 * | W.A.S. | 17 | 28 | 47.5 | 36.7 | 87.1 | 2.2 | 6.6 | 8.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 22.1 |
| 2022-23 | W.A.S. | 65 | 33 | 49.8 | 38.5 | 85.1 | 1.8 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 23.2 |
| 2023-24 | BOS | 57 | 30 | 51.6 | 37.5 | 85.8 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 20.1 |
| Total | 459 | 31 | 45.9 | 36.1 | 83.1 | 1.7 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 19.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
