Kristaps Porzingis set to return to Boston Celtics for Game 1 of NBA Finals

BOSTON -- The Celtics will be whole again when the NBA Finals tip off Thursday night. The plan is for Kristaps Porzingis to return to the Boston lineup for Game 1 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported Porzingis's return Tuesday morning, and the Celtics big man confirmed that was the plan later in the afternoon. He ramped up his rehab over the last week as he recovered from the right calf strain that he suffered in Game 4 of the first round against the Miami Heat, and took part in several scrimmages in practice. 

As long as there are no setbacks between now and Game 1, he will suit up when the NBA Finals tip off in Boston. Porzingis hesitated a bit when asked if he was 100 percent on Tuesday, but did say that he plans on playing Thursday night.

"Good question. I donno, we'll see," he responded when asked if he back at full strength. "I have a couple more days. I've done a lot of work up until this point. I've done everything needed to et back into playing shape. We'll see on [Thursday] night. ... Every day gives me a bit more time to get better."

Porzingis said that he feels better every day, and added that it has been quite the operation to get back. 

"It's been a long process, not going to lie. It's been tough to sit out but I've tried to stay as engaged as I can with the team, be around the team, do my work and be around the team. But it really does suck," he said of all his missed time. "But we're here now and I'm feeling much better."

The Celtics haven't missed Porzingis too much this postseason, going 9-1 in games that he was sidelined. But he was a key piece to Boston's success during the regular season -- averaging 20 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 38 percent from downtown -- and will add another layer to both the Celtics offense and defense against the Mavs.

Porzingis' return will help stretch the floor for the Boston offense -- and pull bigger Mavs defenders out of the paint -- and will provide some protection at the rim on defense. Having Porzingis back in the starting lineup will also allow veteran Al Horford to move back to the bench. Horford filled in admirably in Porzingis' absence, but was picked on defensively throughout Boston's previous three playoff series. 

We'll see if Porzingis is on any sort of minutes restriction and how much rust the big man has to knock off after missing over a month with his calf strain. But he's set to return to the lineup at the most important point of the season, making the Celtics whole again as they look to bring a championship home to Boston.

"It's incredible. The energy, everyone is buzzing," Porzingis said of being in the NBA Finals. "It's going t be exciting. Just seeing the amount of people now (Porzingis was pointing to the collection of reporters in the room), it shows the magnitude of this and what's on the line. We're going into this series with full confidence, knowing no steps were skipped. The goal is to finish the job."