Kristaps Porzingis out 5-6 months after undergoing successful surgery

BOSTON -- Kristaps Porzingis' surgery was a success, but it's going to be a while before we see him playing for the Celtics again. The big man isn't expected to return to action for 5-6 months, the Celtics announced Thursday.

That's slightly longer than the "few months" that Porzingis told reporters after the Celtics won the 2024 NBA championship last week. The 5-6 month timeframe will keep Porzingis out of the Boston lineup until at least December and potentially into 2025.

How many games will Kristaps Porzingis miss to start the 2024-25 season?

Porzingis will likely miss between 25 and 30 games for Boston after undergoing surgery to repair a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon. He suffered the injury in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, and was only able to play 16 minutes in Game 5 when Boston clinched the title. That he was able to play at all -- against the wishes of Boston's team doctors -- seems like a small miracle. 

Porzingis said his surgery went "smooth"

Porzingis took to X shortly after Boston's announcement to thank fans for their support and say that the surgery went "smooth."

Who will step up for Celtics with Porzingis out?

With Porzingis set to miss a significant chunk of time to start the 2024-25 season, 38-year-old Al Horford is likely going to rack up a lot of starts to begin the season. Porzingis' absence will also place a bigger importance on Boston's reserve bigs, though both Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are unrestricted free agents this summer. 

Porzingis was a perfect fit for the Celtics throughout his first regular season with the team, stretching the floor for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown while also bringing a lot of rim protection on the defensive end. He played in 57 games during the regular season as Boston managed his playing time, but was only able to suit up for seven of the team's 19 games during the playoffs.

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