Kristaps Porzingis injured his foot during the NBA Finals last season when the Boston Celtics took on the Mavericks. Nonetheless, Porzingis played game 5 knowing about his injury and that it would require surgery. He wanted to be part of history and he did as the Celtics claimed their record 18th title. Fast forward to summer when he underwent surgery and the procedure was successful.

There were updates on many occasions by Porzingis himself and the Celtics, one such update was on media day when he told the media that he was feeling well and was on track with his return. But, now Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Pat McAfee’s show that his return could be much sooner than expected by many.

“The Celtics are targeting a December return for Kristaps Porzingis. It could even be earlier but they don’t need to rush him back at all,” Charania said, noting that the team can afford to give him all the time he needs to recover due to their depth. Their current performances are impressive, as they continue to dominate teams without their starting center, and there’s no doubt they will be even stronger once Porzingis is back on the court.

December aligns with the timeline Porzingis shared on media day when he stated, “The expectation is (to return) sometime in December,” indicating that we might see him back in action soon. Charania also observed him warming up before a game and, based on that, believes it won’t be long before he returns, even suggesting it could happen sooner than December. Now, let’s take a closer look at how he sustained this injury.

What is Kristaps Porzingis’ injury?

Kristaps Porzingis sustained a rare injury during Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks. He missed Games 3 and 4 but made a courageous return in Game 5, playing through the pain. His resilience and fighting spirit were evident as he contributed to his team’s victory. The injury he suffered in Game 2 involved a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibialis tendon.

Medical expert Dr. Michael S. George of the KSF Orthopaedic Center in Houston said, “The injury to the medial retinaculum allowed the tendon to be unstable and dislocate to the side of the medial malleolus. Dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon causes medial-sided pain and weakness.” He was planning to get his procedure done after he represented his national team Latvia in Paris but unfortunately, that was not an option for the big man.

Porzingis is ready to prove himself again this season as he feels like he is playing with a chip on his shoulder and has to be fit during the playoffs to help his team win a second straight title. He also said, “I’m still extremely hungry” showing his hunger to give his team his all and stay fit when it matters the most.