Kristaps Porzingis has been marking appearances with his team during Boston Celtics‘ practice. However, there is still uncertainty regarding his availability for upcoming games. The skilled big man missed the 5th game against Miami Heat after incurring a calf injury in the previous game. An MRI revealed that he is suffering from a soleus strain—similar to what Giannis Antetokounmpo has been dealing with.

Now, as the Celtics gear up to face Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in round two, the latest update hints at Porzingis being “OUT” from Game 1 at home. Luckily, he is the only Celtic on the injury list.

The C’s fared well against Miami while playing without Kristaps, as they successfully closed out the series. However, Miami had been playing undermanned too, missing Jimmy Butler, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Terry Rozier. This is in contrast to what they will have to deal with while facing the Cavaliers, who are coming off boosted confidence by winning an elimination Game 7 against Orlando Magic.

Nevertheless, the Cavs are facing their own share of issues that come later in a campaign. Ty Jerome and Craig Porter are sidelined for tonight’s game due to ankle concerns. Moreover, Dean Wade sees the bench due to a knee injury. Jarrett Allen remains questionable with a rib injury but could see a green light near the tip-off.

Out of the four, Jarrett Allen is a key name for the Cavs. He was the most consistent player during the first four games against Orlando, and could be pivotal, especially when the Celtics lack a rim protector in Kristaps Porzingis. That being said, many predict that the Celtics could come out on top despite Porzingis missing out.

Cavs need to build on Kristaps Porzingis’ absence

The majority of the NBA fanbase projects the Celtics to cruise past the Cavaliers. This is the only way the Celtics can win a championship this season. Anything less than that will be a disappointment.

The Celtics closed the season, scoring 120.6 points per game (2nd in the league), while the Cavaliers averaged a mere 95.8 points (20th in the league). With that, a lot of pressure will be on Donovan Mitchell, who has a playoff history of elevating his performance during the post-season.

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However, the Cavs unit, which already needs to be in full health to compete with the C’s, will need timely contributions from their entire roster. In their 2 season loss to the Celtics, the Cavs matched them in every category but failed to garner enough rebounds. With this in mind, they will need to ensure that they exploit Kristaps Porzingis’ absence. One way to do that is to crash the boards.