Kristaps Porzingis Expects to PLAY in Game 1 of NBA Finals| Celtics Practice Interview

Kristaps Porzingis Expects to PLAY in Game 1 of NBA Finals| Celtics Practice Interview

100% are you are you 100% right now how you doing guys uh um good question I don’t know we’ll see uh I have a couple more days and um I’ve done a lot of work up until this point and and I’ve done everything needed to get back into sh playing shape and we’ll see you on the night so are you planning on being there for game one uh that is the plan so right now um but yeah again it’s couple more days and and I think that can make a difference so every every day gives me a bit more time to get even better you know so working over here Abby first of all how are you feeling and and what can you tell tell us about the injury and and what you’ve been working on to come back yeah I’m feeling I’m feeling better each day uh it’s been a long process I’m not going to lie um it’s been tough to sit out obviously um but uh but I’ve tried to stay as engaged as I can with the team and be around the team and and do my work and then be with the team um but it sucks it really really does suck and um but we’re here now and and and and I’m feeling much better um put in a lot of hours to to get to this point and um look forward to yeah to getting some some action on the floor yeah how exciting is this opportunity to be playing in the NBA Finals that’s incredible it’s incredible I think just the energy like everybody’s buzzing um it’s going to be exciting it’s going to be you know even just seeing the amount of people now you know um it shows the magnitude of this and uh and what’s on the line um and yeah going going um and the team the organization we going into this series with full confidence and and knowing that uh no skips were uh no steps were skipped and um and yeah and and the goal is to to finish the job Chris STS what kind of things have you been able to do on the court so far and what do you kind of still need to do before Thursday to be ready for game one I’ve uh practiced especially lighter practices I was I was good um of course not a lot of time for me to um to get a lot of scrimmaging a lot of you know or you know no actual game minutes so in that sense it hasn’t been perfect obviously um but uh but yeah I’ve you know tried to build up as much as I can leading up to this point and and you know from like all aspects you know and and and um yeah and we’ll see couple more days we we’ll definitely help how do you kind of reflect obviously you’re going against your old Dallas team here you know your time there and going up against Luca and you know some of the guys you played with there what’s that going to be like for you yeah I think it’s going to be great um played there for two and a half years and and uh I’m happy for for everybody in Dallas in a way you know uh a lot of like great relationships I have there and and um and yeah and I canot say like I think I think they deserve to to you know to have some success like they like they’ve had this season um and it’s going to be it’s going to be fun going up against my old team going back to Dallas uh playing some games there so uh looking forward to it uh Chris EP how you doing man um you’ve you kind of talked about it but um obviously practice time is completely different than an NBA game as you know and it’s the finals so uh how do you think you are uh conditioning wise and um with the injury um obviously apparently it’s really shaking you up how confident do you feel um walking on the court for game one and throughout the series yeah I have to feel confident you know I don’t want to go out there and be you know thinking about something like it doesn’t matter like once I’m out there it has to be like full focused on on on trying to play the best basketball I can and and help this team win uh obviously as I said it’s not ideal that I haven’t had any you know real minutes uh but I I I roll with the punches you know and it is what it is so um I’ll just try to be be the best I can be with the given circumstances Chris stop right after the injury you talked to us and you sort of said how tough it was to get to this point obviously you came here for a chance to play this deep into the playoffs um where are you at now mentally and how has being around the team during this run sort of helped you in that regard I know it’s um as I said it’s been long you know it’s been maybe at first everybody thought it was going to be quicker but then um you know it’s it’s a little bit longer so it’s it weighs on you right like especially like you know you want to be with the team you you want to like help and you want to be a part uh but just seeing how everybody steps up and everybody played like up until this point is is incredible and and uh and shows that the work that we’ve been putting in all season long is is paying off uh but it’s definitely tough and and uh and you know but there’s no like like who cares nobody cares you know what I mean uh just prepare myself uh and did what I need to do daily to to to get back and uh and that’s it and and and see if uh um yeah and and we have this opportunity now so go for it you talked about the limits you’ve had Chris ABS in terms of scrimmaging and running uh is some of this going to be that you aren’t going to know exactly where you’re at until you’re in a game situation Thursday and you are planning and pushing off and going at full speed and seeing how it reacts and feels or do you feel good about where that’s at uh I think uh I think the medical staff would not put me out there if you know if I if they would wouldn’t be confident that I’ll be good you know so um I’ve you know I’ve done the things necessary to like check the boxes uh and uh and that’s it of course like the it’s hard to imitate the same intensity in practice no like that that intensity is going to be completely different level um but I have to be confident that it’ll be all right and as far as going up against Dallas you know what somebody who’s played with Luca specifically uh what are the challenges it it that they present in terms of trying to slow them down defensively and where do you think you can fit in to try to do that obviously tough you know luk and Kyrie those two guys are you know some of the best offensive players there is in the league and and um and they’ve like developed their way of playing and and they’re really good there not a it’s not a um like uh fluke that they’re in the final you know it’s just the way they play is is really good um so it will be a tough challenge for us no doubt U but we have two uh if not three um all NBA Defenders on our team you know and and uh and that’s going to definitely help us on on that end hey Chris Hops uh I was wondering you know through this process of trying to get back to playing if anybody’s ever or given you advice to kind of get through this or if you had like a mentor for to just kind of help you get through this mentally and physically yeah no not really I mean I’ve been in tough situations in my career I’ve had some injuries and stuff so um each time it’s you know you you learn something and you you know you take that experience in and in in if case something else happens ever in life you know and um uh but uh this is basketball you you know can happen and and and um there’s like as I said nobody cares nobody cares just um just yeah it’s of course it’s as I said it’s painful inside like I want to be out there but but uh seeing like that we’re taking care of business and and we’re winning these games is is um is the most important you know and now boom I’m I’m I’m uh getting there and and and hopefully I’ll be good to go for the series fin two questions K and G Chris THS um obviously along those lines you’re a huge part of the team but what’s it been like what does it say about this group that they’ve been able to keep it rolling and keep one of these games and look as good as they have mhm yeah I think it speaks volumes for for the whole roster like um obviously we’ve had you know throughout the season we already went through some things you know some guys were out uh so the lineups were changing and we’ve kind of prepared ourselves for this but seeing like the level that Al was playing at and and um and and uh and other guys that stepped in and had minutes like uh it’s it’s it just shows that the work that they’ve been doing throughout the season has um is paying off you know and it’s paying off in the most important moment so um it’s good to see like everybody locked in as a group and and and playing this level of basketball chrisop is is it a pain threshold thing are you running painfree at this point um yes okay okay um and your relation ship with Luca it seemed to work you guys were seem like close off the floor it didn’t work as much on the floor can you kind of like summarize like those two and a half years was it frustrating you’re coming from New York you wanted to a fresh start you wanted to kind of make a splash and it kind of didn’t work out there can you kind of summarize those two and a half years U I don’t know if I want to like obviously you know it didn’t work out didn’t work out um and um I think it was yeah once yeah once the trade happen I I don’t know I want I don’t want to go I’m not even thinking about that right now you know what I mean I’m focused on on the job ahead and and uh we can talk about that later brother

Kristaps Porzingis spoke for the first time ahead of the NBA Finals before he will reportedly make his return from his calf injury for Game 1 vs his former Mavericks. Porzingis spoke about how he’s progressed through Celtics practice, his feelings about facing Luka Doncic and Dallas, along with the level of pain and restrictions he could face in the series.

Prize Picks! Get in on the excitement with PrizePicks, America’s No. 1 Fantasy Sports App, where you can turn your hoops knowledge into serious cash. Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100! Pick more. Pick less. It’s that Easy! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/CLNS

Gametime! Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply. Go to https://gametime.co !

Elevate your style game on and off the course with the PXG Spring Summer 2024 collection. Head over to https://PXG.com/GARDENREPORT and save 10% on all apparel.

Nutrafol Men! Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com/MEN and enter the promo code GARDEN!

#celtics #NBA #BostonCeltics
The CLNS Media Network is the leading provider for video/audio content. CLNS is a fully credentialed member of the media with access to all NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB teams & venues.
———————————————————————————

CLNS’ rebuilt their YouTube community in less than 12 months, during a pandemic that attacked sports. Wondering how? Find out here (and support our channel) – https://www.tubebuddy.com/clnsmedia

Visit the Official Home of CLNS Sports Coverage – https://clnsmedia.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/CLNSMedia
Celtics – https://twitter.com/celticsclns
Patriots – https://twitter.com/patriotsclns
Bruins – https://twitter.com/bruinsclns
Red Sox – https://twitter.com/redsoxclns
Non-Sports – https://twitter.com/northstation
Facebook – http://facebook.com/clnsmedia
INSTA – http://Instagram.com/clnsmedia
INSTA Celtics – http://Instagram.com/celticsclns
INSTA History – http://Instagram.com/nbahistoryclns