Kristaps Porzingis is nearing a return for the Boston Celtics after battling a soleus strain in his right calf. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Porzingis could make his return as soon as Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
Porzingis sustained the injury in Game 4 of the Celtics’ opening-round series against the Miami Heat last month and has not played since then. He missed the entire series against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a result of his calf strain and was expected to miss the first two games of the conference finals against the Pacers.
Despite accelerating his on-court ramp up in recent days, the Celtics are being conservative in Porzingis’ recovery. If he can’t return on Monday, the Celtics will host the Pacers in Game 5 of the series next Wednesday.
Porzingis has been a key contributor for the Celtics this season, averaging 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting a career-high 51.6% from the field. His return could make a significant impact as the Celtics aim for their second NBA Finals trip in the last three years.