Porzingis injury updates (soleus strain)

[Vermont Green]

Porzingis suffered the injury on April 29, right?

So May 20 would be 3 weeks.  May 27 would be 4 weeks.  I agree that you have to be sure that the Calf or whatever muscle is fully healed and equally important, fully re-strengthened, before you play him.  But you also want him to have the opportunity to start getting back into rhythm of playoff intensity basketball as soon as possible.  You don't know how long that is going to take.  You don't just sit for 3 weeks or 4 weeks and walk back onto the court and play at a high level.

I have no idea how serious the injury was in the first place or how the healing/re-strengthening is progressing.  So I have no idea when they should play him.  But when he is ready, he is ready, and when he is ready, they should play him.  To me, that should be the overriding consideration, not what the series score is.  It would be as wrong to sit him longer than he needs to (makes it all the harder to get back into playing rhythm) as it would be to try to create a Willis Reed moment where he limps on to the court out of desperation.

I know there is a bubble wrap contingent that will disagree.

[green_bballers13]

I would think that his trainers/PTs would run him through different exercises. He is more than likely to come back quicker if he's reporting less discomfort. It's going to come down to his ability to fight through that discomfort. He'll have plenty of time to get back to 100% once the Finals are over.

[Roy H.]

  It would be as wrong to sit him longer than he needs to (makes it all the harder to get back into playing rhythm) as it would be to try to create a Willis Reed moment where he limps on to the court out of desperation.

It's equally as bad to give a guy extra rest as it is to bring him back too early?

How do you figure?

[keevsnick]

I'd MUCH rather give KP extra rest as opposed to bring him back to early. The Celtics can absolutely win the next two rounds and make the finals without him. It will be harder, but they are going to be favored the rest of this series and the ECF (if they advanced) even without KP.

On the other hand, the Finals against whomever comes out of the West will be a very tough series without KP. Withouth him MIN, DEN and OKC would all be favored I think. you have to gamble on getting him right by then even if it means he sits out more of the ECF than you'd like.

I am pretty confident they won't rush him back. He'll be ready when he's ready.

[jpotter33]

Wrong thread.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

kp WILL be back for the Start of the ECF

[Vermont Green]

  It would be as wrong to sit him longer than he needs to (makes it all the harder to get back into playing rhythm) as it would be to try to create a Willis Reed moment where he limps on to the court out of desperation.

It's equally as bad to give a guy extra rest as it is to bring him back too early?

How do you figure?

Well alright, hard to say which is worse, but this is "how I figure".  If you sit him too long, longer than needed, you risk not having him back in full game shape/rhyhm when you need him.  I am not saying bring him back before he is healthy, that goes without saying.  I am saying Doctors and everyone say "good to go" but you decide to continue to sit him anyway because you think you can beat whoever you are playing without him.  That seems to be what people are saying.  "Don't play him until [fill in the blank] no matter what the Doctors say" is what I don't agree with.

There is always going to be some risk of reinjury, not sure a week more than when the Doctors say he is ready, is going to lower the risk of injury all that much.  If it is just going to pop again, it is just going to pop.  The only argument I could come up with is if you bring him back when the Doctors say "good to go" and that means playing say 12 games, vs. arbitrarily sitting him longer so he only has to play say 9 games, there is less risk of injury in 9 games than 12 games, sure.  But what if he needs say 3 games to be back fully in rhythm both in terms of his game and within the overall team?  The longer he sits, the longer it is going to take to get his game fully back.  That might mean a lost game in the finals because Porzingis is still trying to find his game.

So if the Doctors notify the team tomorrow that he is 100%, passed all tests, and Porzingis says he feels 100%, and looks fine running the court in practice, do you just arbitrarily and not play him for the rest of the Cavs series?  Do you not play him in the next round too, if you go up 2-0 without him?  Then do you bring him back for game 1 of the finals to be his first game?  What is your "figure"?  Doctors say OK plus 1 week, 2 weeks?  Or are you saying just arbitrarily don't play him until [xxxx] no matter what the Doctors say?

[SparzWizard]

Think we might need KP against guys like Hartenstein or Turner/Jackson.

C's should be OK without KP this series, but if for whatever reason this series go the full limit then I think he'll need to be back.

[Neurotic Guy]

Not quite as important as KP returning, but lengthening the Indy-NY series while shortening the Celtics-Cavs series surely helps Al get rest he is going to need if he’s heading into the ECF as the starter.  Still a long way to go in the current series, but a win tomorrow would be great.

[keevsnick]

Think we might need KP against guys like Hartenstein or Turner/Jackson.

C's should be OK without KP this series, but if for whatever reason this series go the full limit then I think he'll need to be back.

Eh, I think Kornet or Tillman could play just fine against those types of guys. Don't get me wrong it makes it easier but Celtics will be favored against either team even if KP misses the entire series.

[Redz]

Not quite as important as KP returning, but lengthening the Indy-NY series while shortening the Celtics-Cavs series surely helps Al get rest he is going to need if he’s heading into the ECF as the starter.  Still a long way to go in the current series, but a win tomorrow would be great.

Man. The Cavs have to be the least physical team left in the playoffs.  The difference between what the Celtics have to deal with them vs Miami is night and day.  Just make your shots and move on.  Next series will be a lot more chippy.

[mef730]

Not quite as important as KP returning, but lengthening the Indy-NY series while shortening the Celtics-Cavs series surely helps Al get rest he is going to need if he’s heading into the ECF as the starter.  Still a long way to go in the current series, but a win tomorrow would be great.

Big Al is my major concern. Not a spring chicken anymore. Not even a summer chicken. Kind of a late fall chicken. He leaves it all out there, but he turns 38 in a few weeks.

Mike

[SparzWizard]

Not quite as important as KP returning, but lengthening the Indy-NY series while shortening the Celtics-Cavs series surely helps Al get rest he is going to need if he’s heading into the ECF as the starter.  Still a long way to go in the current series, but a win tomorrow would be great.

Big Al is my major concern. Not a spring chicken anymore. Not even a summer chicken. Kind of a late fall chicken. He leaves it all out there, but he turns 38 in a few weeks.

Mike

Two years ago he'd still have something left in the tank. Now just get him his ring and move on from him.

[celticinorlando]

Al's role as a bench player fits him fine. Just cannot play him the minutes needed while KP is out right now. Really do not understand the stubbornness of Joe not to play X. Think he could help solidify things.

[jpotter33]

https://x.com/noadalzellnba/status/1790032362522227089?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

KP doing a lot more active work at shootaround this morning, including jumping on his shots and looking pretty normal.

Still doubt we see him this series if we do what we’re supposed to do and close this in 5, but he doesn’t look too far away.