The Celtics haven't always made it easy on themselves, but they haven't yet received a serious scare in the playoffs after a dominant regular season. Can the Pacers change that?
Boston is missing center Kristaps Porzingis for the start of the Eastern Conference Finals after a calf injury knocked him off the court in the first round. The Celtics were able to get by without him against the beaten-up Heat and Cavaliers, but a healthier Indiana team could put pressure on the 28-year-old to return.
While Porzingis has been inconsistent in featured roles in the past, he found an ideal fit after landing with the Celtics in an offseason trade last June. The former No. 4 pick averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in his first season in Boston, serving as an important rim protector on a team that needed the size after last season's disappointing exit.
Here are the latest updates on Porzingis' recovery and timeline for his return.
MORE: Full series preview for Eastern Conference Finals
Is Kristaps Porzingis playing in the 2024 NBA Playoffs?
Porzingis hasn't played since Game 4 of the Celtics' first-round series against the Heat when he exited with what was later diagnosed as a calf strain. He is still expected to return at some point during the playoffs.
Porzingis already had tape on his calf when he suffered the non-contact injury, quickly indicating something was wrong and heading back to the locker room. The Celtics were still able to close out the Heat and dispatched the Cavaliers in five games in the conference semifinals.
While he avoided an Achilles injury or a severe strain, calf injuries can be tricky and take some time to fully recover. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had hoped for a quick absence when he suffered a calf strain on April 10, but he never returned despite the Bucks' run lasting another three weeks.
Here's the latest intel on Porzingis' potential return date.
When will Kristaps Porzingis return?
Porzingis will miss the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, but he could return for Game 4 in Indiana on Monday, May 27, per Adrian Wojnarowski. That would be about a month since he initially injured his calf.
Reporting for ESPN NBA Countdown on Kristaps Porzingis’ looming return for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals pic.twitter.com/xKSIPQpR48
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 21, 2024
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn't offer many details on Porzingis' recovery when he spoke to reporters on Sunday, only saying the 28-year-old is in "a great place" mentally and is "working hard every single day to make as fast of a recovery as he can."
When asked whether he believed Porzingis could return in the Eastern Conference Finals, Mazzulla stayed tight-lipped and called himself "a rather optimistic person in general."
The Pacers run through Tyrese Haliburton, but they've proven in the playoffs that they don't necessarily need Haliburton to be a high-volume scorer to win games. Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam could look to attack the Celtics in the paint as long as Porzingis is out, as that could be one of the only areas in which Indiana has a true advantage against a 64-win Boston team.
MORE: Pascal Siakam headlines list of 2024 unrestricted free agents
Eastern Conference Finals schedule
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| May 21 | Game 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Sling |
| May 23 | Game 2 | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Sling |
| May 25 | Game 3 | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
| May 27 | Game 4 | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Sling |
| May 29 | Game 5* | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Sling |
| May 31 | Game 6* | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Sling |
| June 2 | Game 7* | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Sling |
* If necessary