Kristaps Porzingis conducted a light workout on the court on Monday morning, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.com. However, the Celtics big man will miss his sixth consecutive game on Wednesday as he works his way back from a right calf strain, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets. The Celtics can advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a Game 5 victory over the Cavaliers.
“It’s always great to have him around and we know he’s doing everything he can to get back as quickly and safely as possible,” Derrick White told Robb.
We have more on the Celtics:
- Backup guard Payton Pritchard, who signed a four-year, $30MM rookie scale extension in October, has scored in double digits in three of the four games against Cleveland. He delivered 11 points in 26 minutes on Monday, including a pivotal 3-pointer late in the third quarter. With just five turnovers in four games, Pritchard has also been a steady ball-handling presence in the backcourt, Robb notes. “I thought Payton’s confidence, and becoming a really good two-way player, just affecting the game both offensively and defensively,” coach Joe Mazzulla said.
- With Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell sidelined in Game 4, the Celtics guards focused their attention on Darius Garland, Jared Weiss of The Athletic notes. Though Garland scored 30 points, he needed to take 27 shots to reach that figure with White and Jrue Holiday guarding him. “I’m just thankful those guys are on our team,” Jayson Tatum said of Holiday and White. “The intangible things they do on the defensive end night in and night out, whether it’s chasing shooters around, or fighting through screens, or coming over the top and contesting shots. They do it however long they’re in the game. They’re really the anchor of our defense.”
- Jaylen Brown is averaging 26.5 points per game in the series, including a 27-point output in Game 4. He wasn’t bashful when discussing his offensive prowess during the series, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweets. “I don’t think anybody over there can really guard me,” he said.
Miami without Butler
Cleveland without Allen & Mitchell
Then what…a beat up Knicks team?
The east has always been weak but the Celtics have a cake walk to the finals. It’s time to get rid of conferences for the playoffs. Lebron can’t even get out of the first round in the west after 8 finals trips in a row in the east.
West >>>>>> East
The East has been a joke for decades. Had queen James been drafted into the west, he might never make the finals.
The conferences are dumb, how is Minnesota a west team? Bucks and Timberwolves are an hour from each other but one is east one is west. Dumb.
The best teams should make the playoffs. Period. Region is irrelevant these days.
Lol do we really have to do this dance every year? Almost like all the teams in the league know how the rules work, have worked, and will work. Let’s add a four point line and get rid of the shot clock too!
I don’t remember the same sentiment when Steph played back up point guards first round, second, conf finals and nba finals on route to a chip. Brons bubble chip was a cake walk yet some call in the hardest title ever won LOL. Anyways, Boston hasn’t won anything yet. Anything can happen.
If they can’t guard JB, one must wonder why he only is scoring 26.5 per game, I would think he should be scoring more like 35/40 per game, right?
Talk about arrogance… SMH!!!