Kristaps Porzingis returned from his calf injury Friday, a game that saw the Boston Celtics defeat the New York Knicks by a final score of 133-123. Porzingis contributed 21 points, three rebounds, and two steals in the victory. Porzingis gave an update on his injury after the game, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

“Calf felt clean. Nothing. No tightness,” Porzingis said. “Shoutout to our medical staff.”

Porzingis has performed well while on the court so far in his first season with the Celtics. The 28-year-old big man is averaging 19.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He is also shooting 54.7 percent from field goal range and 33.8 percent from deep.

He'd like to start knocking down three-pointers with more consistency, something he should be able to do after shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc during the 2022-23 season with the Washington Wizards. For the most part, though, Porzingis has impressed in Boston.

Celtics playing well

Boston moved to 16-5 with their victory on Friday. The Celtics were projected to be one of the best teams in the NBA prior to the 2023-24 season and they have lived up to the hype up to this point. In fact, they currently hold a 1.5 game lead over the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Porzingis' presence has changed the dynamic of the Celtics' roster. Having a big man who can stretch the floor while causing havoc on defense is pivotal. As a result, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have more options while driving to the basket.

The Celtics are able to contain opposing offenses while finding plenty of scoring opportunities when they have the ball. This is an exciting team to watch with a championship ceiling.

Boston will try to stay hot in their upcoming back-to-back matchups against the Cleveland Cavaliers at home. The first contest is scheduled for Tuesday, with a rematch set to be held on Thursday.