Kristaps Porzingis made a triumphant return to the court on Monday night as the Boston Celtics faced off against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Celtics coach confirmed Porzingis' availability before the game, stating that they expected to see him in action. The 7-foot-2 Latvian received a warm welcome from the crowd as he entered the game with just under seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, although he missed his first shot, a 3-point attempt.
Porzingis had sat out the previous two games due to a dislocated tendon in his left ankle. However, there were no restrictions on his playing time for Game 5. In Game 4, he was cleared to play a limited role but did not see any action during Boston's heavy defeat to Dallas. Prior to the game, he was listed as questionable, but after a pre-game workout that included shooting, light-contact post work, and lateral movement drills, he was given the green light to play.
