Porzingis injury updates (Update: Dislocated Tendon)

[Vermont Green]

Based on the statement and the demeanor that was described, I think the inference of what he said is that he isn't going to know if he is 100% until he gets into some real action.  He said that he "checked all the boxes" so he has passed all the tests, except the final exam which is playing in the finals.

My guess is that he is healed, but possibly not yet fully reconditioned.  Healed and back in game shape, the calf and overall, are two different things.  There is going to be some level of risk of reinjury.  That will be true on Thursday and it will still be true at the start of next season.  He is cleared to play.  I am sure he wants to play.  It would have been nice if his first game back wasn't the first game of the finals, but what can you do.

[scaryjerry]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

[Roy H.]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

Is he better than Kornet?  If so, he's an upgrade.

[SparzWizard]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

We also smoked Dallas with KP earlier this year so idk. He'll definitely be needed to stop their front court.

[Vermont Green]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

Is he better than Kornet?  If so, he's an upgrade.

That is exactly how I look at it.  Even a less than 100% Porzingis is better than Kornet.  I don't know the exact percentage but even 75% or 80% Porzingis is probably still better than Kornet (or Tillman or any other option).

Kornet averaged about 12 min when he has played in the playoffs, Tillman about 8 min.   They were never on the court at the same time.  So that means at a min, all we need from Porzingis is 8-12 minutes where he plays better than Kornet or Tillman.  I see it as very likely that he can be more than this bare minimum to help the team.  He probably will not be 100% regular season Porzingis, playing 24 min or whatever either.  It will be somewhere in the middle, which is fine.

[scaryjerry]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

Is he better than Kornet?  If so, he's an upgrade.

Sure, but if we are depending on him to be a massive difference maker that plays big minutes it could be a negative. No one is expecting anything from kornet.

[Roy H.]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

Is he better than Kornet?  If so, he's an upgrade.

Sure, but if we are depending on him to be a massive difference maker that plays big minutes it could be a negative. No one is expecting anything from kornet.

Who is expecting him to be a massive difference maker? I highly doubt that the coaching staff has built their plans for success around KP.

As you said, our starting lineup has been great in the playoffs. If Porzingis can mix in he will be a positive.

[Roy H.]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

Is he better than Kornet?  If so, he's an upgrade.

That is exactly how I look at it.  Even a less than 100% Porzingis is better than Kornet.  I don't know the exact percentage but even 75% or 80% Porzingis is probably still better than Kornet (or Tillman or any other option).

Kornet averaged about 12 min when he has played in the playoffs, Tillman about 8 min.   They were never on the court at the same time.  So that means at a min, all we need from Porzingis is 8-12 minutes where he plays better than Kornet or Tillman.  I see it as very likely that he can be more than this bare minimum to help the team.  He probably will not be 100% regular season Porzingis, playing 24 min or whatever either.  It will be somewhere in the middle, which is fine.

Yeah.  He won't give us 20/7.  But, 10/4 with the occasional block would help.

[Neurotic Guy]

KP in the mix would be great. Mavs Lively and Gafford can be problematic defensively, on the boards, and rolling to the basket as Luka creates his offense. 

Can’t wait to see how this matchup looks in real life. A mostly healthy KP is a positive along with rested Al.

[hpantazo]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

I'm amazed at the thoughts that Porzingis will be hobbled in the Finals. It was a calf strain, over a month ago. He's fine. He's been fine for a while now. This is not Rob Williams' meniscus tear or KG's knee injury from the past. Those were serious structural damage injuries that never fully heal. A calf strain given time heals completely. We will have Porzingis at full strength. I've been sure of that for weeks now that if we got this far, he would be as close to 100% as anyone else is at this stage of the season.

[SHAQATTACK]

No offense but I think getting kristaps back could actually be a hindrance, I know why we want him back and if he’s at 100% and in game shape we are a totally different team.
I think it’s pretty clear he’s not going to be 100% or in game shape. We are 2-1 in the playoffs with him and 11-1 without him.
I think this whole depending on him to be a huge difference maker for this series could backfire.

Is he better than Kornet?  If so, he's an upgrade.

That is exactly how I look at it.  Even a less than 100% Porzingis is better than Kornet.  I don't know the exact percentage but even 75% or 80% Porzingis is probably still better than Kornet (or Tillman or any other option).

Kornet averaged about 12 min when he has played in the playoffs, Tillman about 8 min.   They were never on the court at the same time.  So that means at a min, all we need from Porzingis is 8-12 minutes where he plays better than Kornet or Tillman.  I see it as very likely that he can be more than this bare minimum to help the team.  He probably will not be 100% regular season Porzingis, playing 24 min or whatever either.  It will be somewhere in the middle, which is fine.

Yeah.  He won't give us 20/7.  But, 10/4 with the occasional block would help.

That would be great. The guards have mentioned in interview KP with his size just patrolling the paint is a huge help and disrupts shots . 

[cman88]

Yeah tbh we don’t know he will be hobbled to only put up 10/4. But he also has not played in a month.

Either way isn’t the benefit of KP just that he can space the floor and knock down 3s pulling gafford/lively out of the paint?

That and you can split bigs minutes between him/Horford so you always can have 5 shooters out there. And not have to play Kornet?

That and disrupt those lob dunks in the paint.

Dallas can’t defend Boston with KP like they did Minnesota with gobert. And that’s his main value.

[Neurotic Guy]

Yeah tbh we don’t know he will be hobbled to only put up 10/4. But he also has not played in a month.

Either way isn’t the benefit of KP just that he can space the floor and knock down 3s pulling gafford/lively out of the paint?

That and you can split bigs minutes between him/Horford so you always can have 5 shooters out there. And not have to play Kornet?

That and disrupt those lob dunks in the paint.

Dallas can’t defend Boston with KP like they did Minnesota with gobert. And that’s his main value.

Calf just has to hold out when he plays full out. The only way to know is to play.

[Phantom255x]

[SCeltic34]

Yeah tbh we don’t know he will be hobbled to only put up 10/4. But he also has not played in a month.

Either way isn’t the benefit of KP just that he can space the floor and knock down 3s pulling gafford/lively out of the paint?

That and you can split bigs minutes between him/Horford so you always can have 5 shooters out there. And not have to play Kornet?

That and disrupt those lob dunks in the paint.

Dallas can’t defend Boston with KP like they did Minnesota with gobert. And that’s his main value.

Well said.  Having KP back gives us back the rotational flexibility we didn't have in his absence.  Now we have two stretch bigs and Horford can still anchor our big spot when KP goes to the bench.   

Kornet has been a big help this season but knee-jerk assessment is that he doesn't seem to fit well against Dallas.  Both Lively and Gafford pose mobility problems due to their athleticism.  Tillman is serviceable and may be an important piece for short stints against Luka or Dallas' bigs, but I don't think he's good enough to play long stretches in the Finals.