After completing the sweep over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics now shifts its focus to the next task at hand – the NBA Finals, which has eluded them for years with a lot of tough losses, but now they are finally back with vengeance.

And that doesn’t come so easy as many critics claim it to be. Sure, the Celtics faced teams that have had injured stars, but they also missed the services of their big man in Kristaps Porzingis, who has been one of the consistent performers in the squad for most of their 64-win season.

Since the Game 4 of their First-Round win against the Miami Heat, Porzingis has missed action on the court due to a calf strain, which left Boston handicapped in their campaigns against the Cleveland Cavaliers (second round) and the Indiana Pacers (Conference Finals). But according to head coach Joe Mazzulla, it seems that the star is closer to a return and may likely come into the lineup in the NBA Finals, which begins this June 6th.

A Key Addition Coming Back into the Mix

Porzingis was traded to the Boston Celtics in the offseason from the Washington Wizards. The Latvian big man was hailed as a promising star in his own right, averaging 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 57 games with the Celtics. He has been one of the most consistent performers for the team in the season, shooting a career-high 51.6% from the field and dropping 37.5% from three.

After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Celtics addressed their need for a big man who could rival the Heat’s Bam Adebayo and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo in the paint, which was clearly Boston’s weakness in their previous playoff run. When Porzingis was inserted into Boston’s lineup, the team went on to finish the campaign with the best record in the season with a 64-18 campaign.

Prior to his injury, Boston has seen him perform well with 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals in four games. He would have been a valuable addition for the team had he stayed healthy over the course of the next two rounds after beating Miami. But the Celtics still managed to hold the fort, as they’ve gone to a 9-1 record this postseason without the big man.

Boston Needing Porzingis Now More Than Ever

Regardless of the result in the Western Conference Finals, where the Dallas Mavericks hold a 3-1 series lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves as of the time of writing, it does seem that Boston will need Porzingis to come back stronger than ever. Either team presents a strong front on the paint, with Dallas parading with Daniel Gafford, Maxi Kleber, and Derek Lively II (currently out with injury). Minnesota, on the other hand, almost has the same power on the paint with Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid.

It does seem that the Celtics will need more of Porzingis to actually strengthen its presence in the paint. We all know how the team has been relying heavily on Al Horford to enforce its strength in the paint, and there has been minutes to the likes of Luke Kornet and even Xavier Tillman in some games. No doubt, a healthy Boston squad with Porzingis in the middle will provide a much better advantage for the team in the NBA Finals.

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