Kristaps Porzingis has revealed that he spoke at length with Jaylen Brown about how to manage his knee injury before the Boston Celtics begin their postseason campaign against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
Boston enters the first round as the No. 2 seed in the East, coming off a 61-21 regular season, and will host Game 1 at TD Garden.
Porzingis, who has battled his own share of knee issues throughout his career, told reporters that he offered Brown specific guidance on how to handle the situation.
“We definitely talked about it,” Porzingis said, via Bobby Manning. “Just because of my history with some of the knee stuff that bothered me in the past.”
Brown has been nursing a knee injury but is expected to be available when the defending champions take the court.
Porzingis noted that Brown often insists he’s fine, but this time, the forward “actually looks good” during recent sessions.
While Porzingis declined to disclose exact medical details, he said that he passed on practical tips based on his own experience with similar ailments.
“Not to go into too much detail,” Porzingis added, “but some of the stuff that helped me … I just gave him my point of view.”
Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across 70 games this season, while Porzingis posted 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
The Celtics are aiming to repeat as champions after last year’s Finals win, and Porzingis emphasized the importance of being physically prepared.
He said the team benefited from the recent rest days and added, “I’m feeling good. Taking care of my body … feeling healthy and ready to go.”
The Magic, seeded seventh, finished the regular season at 41-41, ranking last among East playoff teams in offensive efficiency at 105.4 points per game.
Porzingis expects adjustments from both sides despite some players missing earlier meetings, saying the team studied tendencies and mistakes from the season series.
“What we can prepare for is to have a harder run than last year,” Porzingis said.
Boston allowed just 107.2 points per game in the regular season, second-best in the league, while Orlando allowed 105.5, ranking third.
Game 1 of the Celtics-Magic series tips off Saturday at TD Garden as Boston begins its title defense.
