After tearing his ACL during a World Cup qualifying game in August, Danilo Gallinari is considered highly likely to miss the entire 2022-23 NBA season, but the Celtics forward hasn’t given up on the idea of returning to action this spring, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
“My mindset is that I want to play, and that I’m going to play at the end of the season,” Gallinari said. “I want to play in the playoffs. So that’s the mindset that helps me every day get better and motivates me even more.”
Recoveries from ACL tears often take a full calendar year, but that’s not always the case. Another veteran returning from a torn ACL, Danny Green, is on track to make his season debut next week, less than nine months after he sustained his injury. A similar timeline for Gallinari could put him in line for a return in May — it’s certainly possible the top-seeded Celtics will still be playing at that point.
However, as Himmelsbach observes, even if Gallinari’s recovery process moves quickly, the Celtics would likely be reluctant to bring him back in such a “high-intensity, high-stakes” environment when he hasn’t played for the entire season. The 34-year-old forward recognizes that and is prepared to accept the possibility of being sidelined until the fall, but he doesn’t want to give up hope on this season quite yet.
“My mindset is there is definitely a chance,” he said. “So when I think about the season, it’s definitely not a lost season for me. So, we’ll see. That’s the mindset that helps me and pushes me to get better every day. If it happens, it’s going to be great. If it doesn’t, I’m looking forward to next season.”
Here’s more out of Boston:
- Jay King of The Athletic poses three key questions facing the Celtics at the trade deadline, including whether they’ll acquire more frontcourt help. Although King’s sources confirmed that Boston is scouring the market for big men, those sources downplayed the odds of the team making a play for Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, suggesting that if Poeltl is moved, it’ll be to a team that’s a better long-term fit for him.
- Poeltl is one of the players on a list of six potential Celtics frontcourt targets compiled by Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Naz Reid of the Timberwolves and Willy Hernangomez of the Pelicans are among the other options Forsberg explores. A report earlier this week from Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo suggested the Celtics and Heat are among the teams keeping an eye on Hernangomez, as Eurohoops relays.
- The 35-14 Celtics have proven that they’re a legitimate championship contender, so the primary goal for the rest of the season should be managing minutes for their top eight players and ensuring they’re as healthy as possible entering the postseason, contends Chad Finn of The Boston Globe, writing that head coach Joe Mazzulla should be prioritizing June over January.
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