Celtics get contributions from multiple bench bigs as Kristaps Porzingis potentially nears return
Multiple players are helping the Boston Celtics fill the role of injured forward Kristaps Porzingis – whose absence may be shorter than expected.
Tuesday night’s Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers was the second game the Celtics have played this postseason without forward/center Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis left the team’s Game 4 win over the Miami Heat early with a lower leg injury, and was later diagnosed with a right calf strain.
Initial reporting after the injury indicated Porzingis would miss “several” games, seemingly suggesting he would be out at least through the ECS. However, a report just ahead of Game 1 suggested that timetable may have changed.
“Nothing hard and fast to report here (stop and read that part again), but the Cavaliers are expecting to see Kristaps Porzingis before this series is over,” longtime Celtics insider Steve Bulpett posted on X/Twitter just before Game 1. “I’m getting the same vibe from the Celtics.”
Porzingis playing in this series would be a surprise for two reasons. First, it would represent a much quicker return to play than initially expected. Second, the Celtics shouldn’t need Porzingis to beat a Cavs team they handled relatively easily on Tuesday – a team that is also missing its top big man (center Jarrett Allen has missed the last four games with a rib injury).
So, that’s what’s being reported about Porzingis’ progress and timetable to return. But what is the team saying?
“It’s definitely better than we thought,” head coach Joe Mazzulla told 98.5’s Zolak & Bertrand during his weekly interview on Wednesday. “I think one thing about KP is — I don’t know what his timetable is — but I know his mentality, and he really pushes himself to get back as quickly as he can.”
“He does a great job working to take care of himself,” Mazzulla continued. “He’s walking a little bit better, and every day he’s in there doing whatever it takes to try to get back as fast as he can. I appreciate that.”
Listen to Joe Mazzulla on Zolak & Bertrand
Mazzulla also spoke about Porzingis’ progress during his pre-game press conference ahead of Game 1. Asked if Porzingis could return for this series, Mazzulla replied “I don’t know,” before adding “I just know he’s working every day to get back as fast as he can. [He is] involved with all of our meetings, films, drills, shootaround, and doing what he can treatment wise.”
Meanwhile, the Celtics got by just fine without Porzingis in their first game against Cleveland. Al Horford led the way in the frontcourt with seven points and eight rebounds. Luke Kornet added four points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks off the bench. Trade deadline acquisition Xavier Tillman also his first non-garbage-time minutes of these playoffs – in three and a half minutes on the floor in the second quarter he contributed two points, three rebounds, and was plus-five during his shift.
According to Mazzulla after the game though, replacing Porzingis comes down to more than just the big men.
“It’s not just on the bigs. It’s on everybody,” he explained. “To rebound, to play physical, to communicate. So, I thought Al and Luke and X did a good job from the big standpoint, but it’s on everybody to be able to do that. And I think everyone did that.”
Leading the way in the ‘everybody else’ category was Jayson Tatum. Tatum did his part to make his presence felt at the rim on both ends of the floor. Although it was an off scoring night for him, he did grab a team-high 11 rebounds and added three blocks.
“I thought he played an overall well-rounded game,” Mazzulla said of Tatum’s performance, adding “he had some good shots at the rim defensively.”
There are two big takeaways from Tuesday night when it comes to Kristaps Porzingis’ situation. On one hand, it appears we’ll be keeping an eye out for his return earlier than expected. At the same time though if the Celtics get the same kind of performance on the interior they got in Game 1, there won’t be a lot of incentive to rush him back before he’s absolutely ready.
Read more about the Celtics below…
4 things to watch ahead of the Celtics-Cavaliers second round series
Rest vs. rust
Apr 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7), forward Jayson Tatum (0), guard Derrick White (9) and forward Sam Hauser (30) walk to the bench during a timeout against the Miami Heat in the second quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
As mentioned above, the Celtics haven’t played since Wednesday, when they knocked off the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their first-round series. By the time Game 1 rolls around they will have gone five full days without playing a competitive game.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have been grinding. Their first-round series against the Orlando Magic went seven games. Game 7 was on Sunday in Cleveland, giving the Cavs just one day of rest before facing the Celtics. Their last consecutive off days were May 1 and 2 – now a week ago.
That brings us to a timeless question when it comes to playoff matchups – rest versus rust. Does the team that is more well-rested but has been sitting and away from the floor heading into the series have an advantage? Or the team that may be more tired but is already in a rhythm?
Boston sports fans just had this conversation with the Bruins a day ago, as the Bruins went down to Florida two days after their Game 7 and picked up an emphatic 5-1 win over the Panthers, who hadn’t played in seven days. Now local fans will flip to the other side as they hope the Celtics don’t show too much rust. Of course it’s a completely different situation, and aside from it being a different sport the Bruins and Panthers are much more evenly matched than the Celtics and Cavaliers.
Rust wasn’t a problem for the Celtics out of the gate in these playoffs. They had about a week off while the play-in tournament happened before beginning their series against the Heat, and still came away with a 114-94 win in Game 1. However, they did trip up in Game 2 and fell 111-101 for their only loss of the series. Let’s see if this time they can take advantage of their rest over the first two games of the series.
The Donovan Mitchell show
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 05: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on May 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Last round, the Celtics got to play a Heat team without a star player as Jimmy Butler missed the series with a knee injury. Now they will have to deal with a star – and a focal point at that.
The Cavs are lead by All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell, who carried the team to this point. During the regular season Mitchell averaged a team-high 26.6 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting including a 36.8 percent mark from three. No other player averaged more than 18 points per game for the Cavs (guard Darius Garland). On top of that, he was second on the team in assists (6.5 per game) and third in rebounds (5.1).
In the first round, Mitchell’s importance only grew. He averaged 28.7 points per game, with Garland managing just 14.9. In the wins alone Mitchell averaged an even 30 points per game with 39 in the clinching Game 7. He did score 50 points in one loss, but had 18 and 13 in the other two.
Mitchell is crucial to the Cavs’ success. They struggle to keep up without him (the two games he failed to score 20 points, the Cavs lost by 38 and 23 points), and even when he is on he’s usually dragging the team to a win. If the Celtics can keep him in check, there’s not much else the Cavs can do to be a threat.
Against the Celtics this year, Mitchell scored 29 and 31 points in the two Cavs losses in December. He didn’t play in the matchup in March.
Given the short rest, Mitchell’s health is something to watch early in this series as well. He left Game 6 of the first round with a knee injury, and although he returned he was visibly playing through something – even as he led the Cavs to an 18-point comeback in their Game 7 win.
Will Jarrett Allen be a factor?
CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 22: Evan Mobley #4 and Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers block Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter of game two of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 22, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Magic 96-86. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
While Garland was the Cavaliers’ second-leading scorer this season, there’s an argument to be made their second-most impactful player is center Jarrett Allen. During the regular season Allen averaged 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, in what was a career year for the 25-year-old.
In the playoffs Allen was a factor right away as well. He averaged 17 points and 13.8 rebounds per game through the first four games of the first round. However, he hasn’t played since Game 4 as he’s dealt with a rib injury.
Allen is listed as questionable for Game 1, and appeared to be a limited participant in Tuesday morning’s shootaround. If he can’t go, it likely means a bigger role for Evan Mobley, who averaged 12.1 points and 9.1 rebounds in seven first-round games. As far as the starting line up goes, Isaac Okoro started two games in Allen’s place, while former Celtic Marcus Morris started one.
The real question is here, how many games will Allen miss? If the Cavs go down early, will they show more urgency and rush him back to the floor? The Celtics are also expected to be without their top big man in his series as Kristaps Porzingis nurses that calf strain he suffered in Game 4 against the Heat. However many games Allen misses will make that absence less of a factor for Joe Mazzulla’s team.
A familiar opponent
CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 30: Max Strus #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes around Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter of game five of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 30, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Celtics fans may remember guard Max Strus as a key part of the Miami Heat’s bench unit in each of the playoff matchups the last two years. Well, he’s now in Cleveland’s starting lineup after signing a four-year, $63 million deal with the Cavs this offseason.
For a Cavs team that is young and isn’t super deep in terms of playoff experience, Strus has been on deep runs multiple times in his career. He’s also gone toe-to-toe with the Celtics in the postseason before, so he knows what to expect. It wouldn’t be surprising if Cleveland leans on him at times in this series.
While with the Heat, Strus averaged 8.6 points per game against the Celtics in the playoffs. However he did have individual games where he was more of a factor, such as a 16-point performance in Game 3 of the 2022 ECF, and then a 15-point performance in Game 1 last year. Both were Heat wins.
That kind of production is about what Strus gave the Cavs in the first round of this year’s playoffs. After averaging 12.2 points per game in the regular season that number dipped to 9.1 against Orlando. He was heating up as the series went on though, scoring his three highest totals over the final three games (16 in Game 5, 10 in Game 6, and 13 in Game 7).
Strus played in two of the matchups between the Cavaliers and Celtics this regular season – both Celtics wins. He scored 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including a 5-for-11 mark from deep, in one of those games. He was limited to just five points in the other.
