The pair discussed whether Porzingis' return after missing the opening month of the season would prove his value to Joe Mazzulla's roster, especially if Boston's defense can return to the level we saw last season.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis made his highly anticipated return to action this week and admitted this rehab was the easiest one he's had.

Porzingis injured his ankle in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks and missed the next two games. He returned for Game 5, contributing five points and one rebound in 16 minutes as the Celtics beat Dallas 106-88 to clinch their record 18th title.

The Boston Celtics defense will change with the return of star Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis to the court.

BOSTON -- Kristaps Porzingis is returning to the court for the Boston Celtics. The big man will make his season debut Monday night when the Celtics host the L.A. Clippers at TD Garden, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

It's no coincidence that the Boston Celtics had their most impressive win of the season on the night of Kristaps Porzingis's return.

The Latvian center of the Boston Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis, returned to regular season action last night. The 7-foot-2-inch-tall NBA star played in the Monday game against the Los Angeles Clippers inside TD Garden in Boston to the roaring approval of the fans in attendance.

The Celtics announced on July 25 that Kristaps Porzingis would undergo surgery to repair the rare leg injury he suffered during the NBA Finals. Exactly five months later, he’s back. Porzingis will make his season debut Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Porzingis missed all of the 2019 season with a torn ACL, he tore his meniscus during the 2020 playoffs, and he missed two series entirely and parts of two others during the Celtics' championship run last season.

Boston Celtics starting center Kristaps Porzingis returned surprisingly early from his offseason leg surgery, in a 126-94 blowout massacre of the L.A. Clippers on Monday. During an interview with NBC Sports Boston (as transcribed by Zach Cox of The Boston Herald),

Kristaps Porzingis was a spectator for the first month of the NBA season following offseason ankle surgery. It didn’t take him long during his season debut against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night to remind his Boston Celtics teammates what they’ve been missing.