2024-05-02 21:59:07
The Boston Celtics, without Porzingis, reached the semifinals of the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.
The Bostonians defeated Miami “Heat” at home with the result 118:84 (41:23, 27:23, 30:20, 20:18) and reached 4-1 in the series up to four victories. Porzingis strained his calf muscle in the previous game and will not participate in the upcoming matches.
“Porzingis is unlikely to participate in the next series, and the expectation is that he could return if the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals,” Haynes said.
In about a week, it will be evaluated when Porzingis could return to the field.
One of Boston’s leaders, Jaylen Brown, emphasized that other players played a more important role in Porzingis’ absence.
“We play with the mentality – the next in line takes a step forward. We tried to play faster and increase the tempo. I think there is room for growth and we can play better, myself as well,” admitted Brown.
“You can see that he wants to be on the field. We told him to rest, undergo rehabilitation and recover,” the Latvian teammate continued.
“Celtics” head coach Joe Mazulla concluded that the team can win with any lineup, as it proved in the regular season when they played with different starting fives.
“Even during the season, when Kristaps was healthy, we played with a small squad. We are able to adapt to different opponents and play each match with a different game identity,” explained Mazulla.
“We miss her, but so does Al [Horfords] took a step forward and worked for the team. It’s different, but still effective,” Derrick White added.
A battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Orlando Magic is expected in the semifinals, with the Clevelanders leading the series 3-2.
2024-05-02 21:59:07