Boston Celtics' Porzingis Optimistic Amid Recovery from Ankle Surgery
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is making significant strides in his recovery from ankle surgery, which he underwent in late June. The 29-year-old Latvian, who had been anticipated to be sidelined for five to six months, is optimistic about a quicker-than-expected return, potentially as soon as December.
Porzingis has been diligently working on his rehabilitation, taking substantial steps towards recovery. Over the weekend, he began running and participated in light contact drills, including one-on-one sessions. "I think I've started the next stage now as I got here. Started running, had some light contact stuff. Played some, like, 1-on-1. I felt really good. I felt really good and the most important is I felt really good the next day, too. So yeah, looking forward to ramping up even more," Porzingis shared enthusiastically.
Despite Porzingis’ optimism, the Celtics' staff, led by team president Brad Stevens, remains cautious given the unique nature of his injury. Stevens emphasized not wanting to rush the process: "Kristaps obviously had the surgery that was well documented after the year and seems to be recovering well. He's very optimistic. I don't know that we're interested in putting a timeline on him because the injury is unique. But as far as how he feels and the progress that he's made, I'd say we're very, very pleased with where he is and maybe a little surprised."
Porzingis' injury dates back to the NBA Finals last season, where he played through an ankle injury sustained in Game 2, leading to a torn medial retinaculum. Remarkably, he soldiered on to play 16 minutes in Game 5 despite the injury. Before the surgery, he had also managed to play crucial minutes in Game 1, even while recovering from a calf injury.
As Porzingis continues to recover, veteran Al Horford is expected to start at center at the beginning of the season, with backups Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman providing additional support. While the exact date of Porzingis' return remains uncertain, his progress has been commendable. "The expectation is sometime in December, but I'm feeling really good and I'm working towards hopefully playing earlier than that," Porzingis noted, reflecting his hopeful outlook.
One of the key factors in Porzingis’ positive recovery has been his compliance with the medical staff’s guidelines, despite his eagerness to return sooner. "Obviously the energy I'm feeling from the doctor, the surgeon, the medical staff is not to rush anything. But for myself, obviously, if you ask me and I had to do my own protocol, I would probably go quicker. But that's a good sign. I'm feeling really good. My ankle's feeling really, really good," he admitted.
Brad Stevens, while refraining from setting a concrete timeline, expressed satisfaction with Porzingis' progress. The team remains careful given the unique aspects of Porzingis’ injury but is undoubtedly encouraged by his advancements. “Doing a good amount of stuff” has been Porzingis' mantra, and he remains "optimistic as always" about his journey back to the court.
As the season approaches, the Celtics will continue to monitor Porzingis' rehabilitation closely, with hopes of seeing him return to full health and contribute significantly to the team's campaign. The palpable optimism surrounding his recovery is a testament to both his commitment and the comprehensive support from the Celtics' medical staff.