Celtics

Brad Stevens said Kristaps Porzingis’s surgery went great, center could provide ‘jolt’ in December

"So, we'll get him back when he's fully healthy, get him ready to go, and let him do his little WWE entrance."

By Khari Thompson

June 28, 2024

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Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis underwent successful  surgery repair a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon, the Celtics announced.

The recovery is expected to take 5-6 months, which means Porzingis could return in November or December.

“Surgery went great. I think the way it impacts us is just making sure that we have the right amount of bodies at the start of the season,” Stevens said. “But, obviously he’ll be back at some point soon into the season and we’ll go from there. Our guys did a really good job playing without him this year, and figuring out the best way to navigate those times. There’s no question we’re better when he’s on the floor.”

“So, we’ll get him back when he’s fully healthy, get him ready to go, and let him do his little WWE entrance in the Garden whenever that time comes. Maybe we’ll need a jolt in December or whenever that time is and it will be a good little evening.”

Porzingis missed 25 regular-season games last season, and the Celtics still managed to go 64-18, the franchise’s best mark since 2008.

They went 16-3 in the playoffs en route to their title this season, despite missing Porzingis for most of the time. Porzingis suffered a calf strain in the opening round series against the Heat and missed both the second round and Eastern Conference Finals before returning for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon, which is a separate injury from the calf strain, caused Porzingis to miss games during the Finals as well.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said earlier this month that Porzingis overrode the medical staff’s decision to have him sit out the clinching Game 5. Porzingis made sure he was on the floor for that game, despite his injury.

Porzingis demonstrated the kind of impact he can have during Game 1 of the Finals, when he scored 20 points on 8-13 shooting with six rebounds and three blocks in 18 minutes. the performance was close to his regular-season averages of 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks.