After missing four straight games with an ankle sprain, Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis returned to the court on Friday night against the Houston Rockets. Porzingis recorded 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks en route to a 109-86 win. After the game, Porzingis discussed the challenge of returning from his injury. Notably, Porzingis missed the first 17 games due to an offseason ankle surgery before returning in late November, and the ankle sprain he recently suffered was on the same ankle. Let’s dive into Porzingis’ comments and impact this season.
Celtics’ Big Man Kristaps Porzingis Gets Honest About Returning From Injury
Porzingis said the following regarding returning from his injury.
Kristaps Porzingis on his re-acclamation from injury:
“I still haven’t been in my best shape this season yet, so it’s a little bit tough — but happy to be healthy, and working my way to feeling better and better each game.” pic.twitter.com/zwXUb4bNOB
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 4, 2025
Through 12 games, Porzingis is averaging 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks on 44.9/34.3/84.2 shooting splits. All of these numbers are slightly down from last season, given Porzingis’ comments and watching him, it’s clear he’s not at full strength yet. Nevertheless, Porzingis has plenty of time to get back on track, and being at full strength after a rare ankle injury is not an easy task. Furthermore, the 7-foot-2 center’s paint presence on both ends of the floor has been significant. After the Rockets game, head coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged the difficulty of returning from injury but praised Porzingis’ defense.
Joe Mazzulla was impressed with Kristaps Porzingis’ impact after missing the last 4 games:
“I thought his defense in the 2nd half was tremendous … For his first game back, I thought it was great.” pic.twitter.com/2VDoXq1eWP
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 4, 2025
Porzingis is Still Impactful
To Mazzulla’s point, Porzingis’ defensive impact has been on full display in the 12 games he’s played, especially against the Rockets. Porzingis’ rim protection and two blocks were crucial to the Celtics’ defensive success. On the season, Porzingis is defending 17.6 field goals per game, which is the most on the team, he has a 47.9 defensive field goal percentage. Additionally, since Porzingis’ return, the Celtics’ paint defense has improved from 26th to fourth. The Celtics’ defense has been somewhat concerning this season, and Porzingis will play a key role in getting it back on track.
Offensively, Porzingis is shooting 76.7 percent at the rim; as a team, the Celtics are shooting 60.9 percent from this range. Porzingis gives the Celtics a new element as an efficient interior scorer. Overall, Porzingis ranks in the 91st percentile for offensive plus/minus and 86th percentile for defensive plus/minus.
The Last Word
While Porzingis isn’t 100% right now, he has plenty of time to get back to full strength and is still making a significant impact. Being in and out of the lineup is a massive challenge, especially after having an offseason surgery. Hopefully, Porzingis can stay healthy for an extended period of time so he can build momentum. Notably, the Celtics traditional starting lineup of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Porzingis has only played a total of six games and 85 minutes together. Getting this lineup more reps together for the remainder of the year will be vital for the Celtics to prepare for the playoffs.
