Celtics Notes: Porzingis, White, Pritchard, Hauser, Queta

Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis has become an expert at overcoming injuries over the course of his NBA career. After returning from offseason surgery on his left leg a little earlier than planned on Monday, Porzingis spoke about the process he had to go through to get back on the court, writes Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe.

“Honestly, I would say it was one of the easiest rehabs for me.” Porzingis told reporters. “The only thing was not having to touch the ankle for four to six weeks, which was tough. Only on one leg with the scooter, can’t get up the stairs. It was a little difficult from that perspective, but once that moment passed and I was able to walk, it honestly felt pretty natural.”

Appearance on the Boston broadcast of Monday’s game, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens said he realized Porzingis was healing faster than expected when he reported to training camp. Optimism about an early return grew as the team watched him during a pre-season trip to Abu Dhabi.

Porzingis added that he was eager to get back on the court after having limited opportunities since Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

“Almost a month ago I started feeling pretty good” he said. “I would say throughout the rehab I was always ahead of the game. I was itching to do more, to start more, to sprint and make personal connections. I asked the medical staff to do more, but we were still smart and completed all the steps up to this point. I told them that I would like to do it as soon as possible if you give me the green light. That was it. I even got here maybe a month early and it’s nice to be back out there.”

There’s more from Boston:

• The Celtics have had to switch defenses more frequently without Porzingis as their primary shot blocker, MassLive’s Souichi Terada observes. That led to more points being dropped in the race, which is why his teammates are happy to have Porzingis back as the protector of the race. “I just let him block the shots and not me.” Derrick White said. “KP just does a lot for us. Of course, rim protection. But just because of his presence and everything, it’s nice to have him out there.”
• With knockdown shooters Payton Pritchard And Sam Hauser Coming off the bench often gives the Celtics a big advantage, notes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Both played important roles in Monday’s win over the Clippers, as Pritchard shot 6 of 10 from distance in a 20-point night while Hauser was perfect on his three long-range shots. Pritchard was plus-30 in nearly 26 minutes and Hauser was plus-27 in 23 minutes. “Our chemistry grows every day because we constantly train together” Hauser said. “I feel like each of us does different things well on the court that complement each other in unique ways. It was special to see what Payton did this year. He played really well. I’ve known he’s capable of this for a while, so I’m glad everyone else gets a chance to see it.”
• Neemias Queta was back in the trainer Joe MazzullaAccording to MassLive’s Brian Robb, there was a rotation of big players on Monday after not playing in Sunday’s game. Defensive deficiencies reduced Queta’s playing time, but he delivered 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in 25 minutes. Al Horford And Luke Kornet Both were missing on Monday, so it is not clear whether Queta will continue to get opportunities once he returns.