Celtics' Kristaps Porziņģis Returns for Season Debut Against Clippers

Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porziņģis made his long-awaited season debut on Monday against the LA Clippers, contributing 16 points and six rebounds in just over 22 minutes of action during a dominant 126-94 victory.

Porziņģis wasted no time showcasing the impact his presence brings to the team. In the second half, Clippers guard Kris Dunn drove the baseline for a dunk attempt but was emphatically denied by the 7-foot-2 Latvian, who swatted the ball with a two-handed block that brought the crowd to life. Moments later, Porziņģis demonstrated his offensive prowess, finishing a soaring alley-oop from Jaylen Brown, igniting roaring applause from the TD Garden faithful.

“It was a good beginning. Good first game back,” Porziņģis reflected after the match.

The former All-Star underwent surgery on June 27 to repair a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibialis tendon, with an expected recovery time of five to six months. Remarkably, Porziņģis returned in under five months, providing a significant boost to Boston’s lineup.

KP with our first bucket obviously  pic.twitter.com/YBh7Cf8tGe

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 26, 2024

Kristaps Porziņģis suffered his injury during Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, initially hoping to delay surgery until after the Finals and Latvia's Olympic campaign. While he missed the 2024 Olympics, his focus shifted to recovering for the 2024-25 season.

Porziņģis’ final game last season came in Game 5 of the Finals, where he played 16 minutes, contributing five points and one rebound in Boston’s title-clinching 106-88 win, securing the franchise’s record 18th championship. After a dislocated tendon in his left ankle sidelined him for Game 3, he was cleared for limited action in Game 4 but stayed in warmups during Boston’s 122-84 loss to Dallas.

Last season, Porziņģis delivered stellar numbers, averaging 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 51.6% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc in 57 appearances. He played in Boston’s first four playoff games before suffering a right calf injury that kept him out until Game 1 of the Finals.

This season, the Celtics hold the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference with a 14-3 record, trailing the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers by 2.5 games. Despite playing the fewest games in the league against teams with winning records, Boston recently pushed the Minnesota Timberwolves out of that category and now faces a critical stretch against tougher opponents. They’ll meet the 11-7 LA Clippers and the top-ranked Cavaliers this week, marking just their third and fourth games against top-10 defensive teams.