Kristaps Porzingis not on a minutes restriction, will come off bench for Celtics in Game 1 of NBA Finals

BOSTON -- Kristaps Porzingis will not be on a minutes restriction when he returns to the Celtics' lineup in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. But he will not start for Boston in his first game back.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said that Porzingis is not on a minutes restriction during his pre-game press conference before the Celtics and Mavericks tipped off the NBA Finals at TD Garden. But he wasn't sure if Porzingis would start at that time, and said the team would know after its pre-game shootaround.

A short time later, Al Horford's name popped up in Boston's starting five on the jumbotron at TD Garden. So Porzingis will be coming off the pine in his first game back.

As for what he's expecting out of his big man on Thursday night, Mazzulla believes we'll see the same Porzingis that helped the Celtics dominate all season.

"Same thing that he's done for us all year. Defense, offense, communication, and playing hard. Just what he's done for us over the course of the season that has helped us get here," said Mazzulla.

UPDATE: Mazzulla was right, as Porzingis returned to have a huge game for Boston in Game 1.

Porzingis has been out with a right calf strain that he suffered in Game 4 of Boston's first-round series against the Miami Heat. Thursday night will be his first action in nearly 39 days, so he'll likely have to knock off some rust as he reacclimates to game action. He'll probably have a bullseye on him, with the Mavericks looking to attack and test Porzingis whenever he's on the floor.

Porzingis was coy when asked Tuesday and Wednesday if he was at full strength, but said that he won't play cautious with an NBA title on the line.

"I have to go out there and play like it's a basketball game, an important basketball game, and that's it," he said at Wednesday's media day. "I don't need to think too much or, yeah, overthink. Just go out there and hoop."

Porzingis has started all but one of the 473 NBA games he's played in, including the postseason. The last time he came off the bench was during his second season in the league back on January 19, 2017 while with the New York Knicks.