With cautious harm administration, the Celtics have given themselves choices if their star heart misses time

Late within the second quarter of the Boston Celtics’ 102-88 win over the Miami Warmth on Monday evening, Celtics followers witnessed one thing they’ve dreaded all season lengthy: Kristaps Porzingis limping to the sidelines. After a Celtics offensive possession, the 28-year outdated heart appeared to roll his ankle as he turned again up the courtroom, finally signaling to the sidelines a number of possessions later that he wanted to exit the sport. He departed, and was labeled uncertain to return as a result of what the group deemed “proper calf tightness.”

After the sport, Porzingis was seen exiting the customer’s locker room in a strolling boot. Now, as we await additional information, the anxiousness begins to set in.

It’s no secret that harm administration and prevention has been a front-of-mind concern for the Celtics and President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. Since Stevens has been with the group — first as a coach, then as an government — maybe no group has been made extra conscious of the significance of well being within the postseason. The Celtics have seen essential gamers resembling Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Good, Gordon Hayward (a number of instances), Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams III both miss time within the postseason or have their play dramatically affected by nagging accidents.

The Celtics don’t need to see any of their gamers miss time within the postseason, however for a lot of causes, Kristaps Porzingis sits on the forefront of this emphasis. When Stevens acquired the 7-foot-2 heart, he knew he was bringing in an immense expertise, however one which was additionally considerably broken items. Well being has been the rub on Porzingis for almost his total NBA profession; since tearing his left ACL in 2018, he’s averaged simply 55 video games performed per season. This yr, he performed in 57, averaging a shade underneath half-hour per evening.

A few of that is by design. Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla have taken a really deliberate monitor to restrict the wear and tear and tear on Porzingis’ physique, sitting him on one half of the group’s back-to-backs and sustaining a brief leash with the smaller accidents he accrued over the development of the season. Objectively, you might say the technique labored — Porzingis prevented main harm this yr, and entered the postseason at kind of full power.

All that in thoughts, the Celtics’ total season has led to this second. They’ve rigorously managed the workloads of their roster all yr lengthy, and within the course of, they’ve put themselves in place to compensate for an absence from Porzingis as greatest as could possibly be anticipated.

After the Recreation 4 win, coach Joe Mazzulla knowledgeable the media that he had no replace on Porzingis’ standing, and mentioned how the group strikes ahead with a possible absence from their star heart. “We’re bringing the identical mindset, intentionality, toughness, particulars to the subsequent recreation,” he asserted. “No matter who’s on the market, we now have totally different identities.”

These identities make themselves evident within the gamers who can be tasked with changing Porzingis’ minutes. Stevens and the Celtics have put collectively a group of various bigs that give them choices within the five-spot whereas the 7-footer heals.

It helps that the Celtics benefit from the providers of maybe essentially the most overqualified backup heart in basketball in Al Horford. Now 38 years younger, Horford has transitioned right into a sixth man function for the Celtics for a lot of the season, flexing into the beginning lineup because the fifth starter at any time when one of many normal beginning 5 has sat out. Horford doesn’t have sufficient gasoline within the tank to lock down the 5 spot for 40 minutes each evening anymore, however in reduction of Porzingis, he has loads to supply. His protection is as regular and versatile as ever, and he can keep Joe Mazzulla’s five-out tendencies offensively as a 40%+ three-point shooter from the middle place in his personal proper.

Mazzulla singled out Horford’s efficiency in Porzingis’ absence on Monday evening. “I believed Al was super,” he said. Pressed right into a 33-minute outing, Horford’s stats didn’t essentially leap off the web page — he scored seven factors, grabbed eight boards, dished two assists and blocked a shot — however he recorded a plus-minus of +15, second on the group to solely Jaylen Brown on the night. His physicality was useful towards star Warmth heart Bam Adebayo.

Horford mentioned his emotions on Porzingis’ harm in his postgame convention. “Fearful, simply involved,” he mentioned. “Any time that any of your guys return, particularly him, the way in which that he was strolling, positively regarding for me.” He added: “I simply hope it’s nothing severe and he can get again to us fast.”

The star of the Recreation 4 win, Derrick White, added some comfort of his personal. “I want the perfect for him,” mentioned White. “I hate to see that occur. He works so exhausting. Probably the greatest gamers on this recreation. I informed him we acquired his again … We’ve acquired a whole lot of belief and religion on this entire roster and we’re going to want everyone.”

Deeper down the depth chart, the Celtics have arrange their reserves to ship on White’s promise. Journeyman heart Luke Kornet has been a multi-year challenge for this group, and the funding actually appeared to repay this season as he thrived in a third-center function. He’s an environment friendly play finisher (70% FG) and succesful rim protector who can definitely present an efficient 10-Quarter-hour on a given evening. Kornet has struggled with accidents himself this postseason, however was cleared to play for Recreation 3 of this collection, recording 5 minutes within the blowout win. He didn’t seem in Recreation 4 till the Celtics emptied the bench late within the contest, however will undoubtedly issue into the Recreation 5 equation if Porzingis can’t go.

Becoming a member of Kornet amongst the reserves is the gem of their commerce deadline haul, former Memphis heart Xavier Tillman Sr. The 25-year-old heart is like Horford in microcosm — a equally sized large man with a comparably versatile defensive recreation. He doesn’t carry the kind of offensive worth that Horford does — he’s principally a non-entity on that finish, in determined want of a dependable jumper — however in conditions that require a defensive focus, he can contribute. Wildcard teenager Neemias Queta can also be ready within the wings, within the occasion the Celtics want a spark of vitality and athleticism in a given matchup.

None of that is to say the Celtics are higher off with out Kristaps Porzingis, or that they need to be ok with his present unsure standing. After all, neither of these items are true. Porzingis is clearly the third-most vital participant on this roster — maybe the second, for those who’re feeling spicy — and this group can’t obtain its absolute ceiling with out him. Boston’s wins in Recreation 1 and Recreation 3 of this primary spherical collection hinged on dominant outings from The Unicorn.

No harm is an effective harm, however having been burned up to now on multiple event, the Boston Celtics have finished their due diligence and put themselves in place to succeed regardless of this type of adversity. With Porzingis now ailing — and Tatum nursing an ankle harm after Adebayo stepped underneath his observe jumper within the fourth quarter — that adversity has arrived. It’s time for the Celtics to place their depth to the take a look at and forge their manner ahead within the Jap Convention Playoffs.

In the event you ask the person himself? All the things’s going to be simply advantageous.