On Saturday, Kristaps Porzingis returned to the Boston Celtics' rotation. The veteran big man had missed the previous eight games due to a mysterious illness.
Porzingis' impact was immediately felt, as he made use of his size and interior scoring ability. His first bucket came within a minute of play, as he ran a two-man action with Jrue Holiday, leading to a driving finish in the paint.
As fun as it is to see Porzingis back in the rotation, concerns remain over his longevity.
“I haven’t been this sick for probably ever in my life,” Porziņģis said after the game. “So I was really, for a week really just laying at home trying to recover. And after that, I had lingering fatigue, and I still have it a little bit, but at least I’m now getting into shape to be able to play. But after each workout, I was boom, big crash. I was really, really fatigued. Like, not normal. So, yeah, it’s taking a little bit longer, but I’m doing everything, all my bio-hacking stuff that I know, and just trying to get back in the best shape possible.”
According to reports, whatever ailment Porzingis was dealing with remains a mystery. As such, there's no telling what sort of impact the virus had on his body, nor how long the after effects will last. To add even more concern into the equation, Porzingis has a history of injuries that could factor into his availability during the playoffs.
The problem for Boston is simple: Porzingis is the team's swing factor. His perimeter scoring completes Joe Mazzulla's five-out offense. While Porzingis' size and length provide the team a genuine shot deterrent and rim protector.
Porzingis is still the Celtics' biggest swing factor heading into the playoffs. Sure, the team can win at a high rate without him, but with him, they can dominate almost any team in the league. Porzingis opens the floor up for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which is what makes Boston so unguardable.
The Celtics coaching staff must ensure Porzingis is ready to go by the playoffs. If he can stay healthy, along with the rest of the rotation, there will likely be another parade in Boston during the summer.
