Big man Kristaps Porzingis has missed each of the Boston Celtics’ last seven games due to an illness. In those games, the Celtics are 5-2. However, it is clear that they would much rather have the Latvian native healthy and available to play.
Recently, Porzingis shared a bit more insight into his illness on social media (link), calling it “some viral illness.” While he admits that he is recovering and progressing, there is still no concrete timetable for his return.
Ahead of the Celtics’ matchup against the Miami Heat on Friday, the team made a Porzingis announcement that fans will want to keep an eye on.
While Porzingis has been out for some time with the illness, he has been with the team and on the sidelines. Though the Celtics have not officially determined when Porzingis will make his return, they have officially upgraded him to questionable against the Heat after he has mostly been listed as doubtful.
With roughly a month left in the season, the Celtics’ spot in the Eastern Conference standings is all but locked up. They are 8.5 games behind the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers, but they are also 4.5 games ahead of the No. 3 seed New York Knicks. Though they may not need Porzingis for the rest of the regular season, his return will provide a huge boost on the court.
When healthy, Porzingis makes an impact in each aspect of the game. As the Celtics prepare for their title defense this postseason, Porzingis’ status is going to be an essential one for fans to monitor.
