Kristaps Porzingis' absence shouldn't derail Celtics in East

The Boston Celtics appear on their way for a return trip to the NBA Finals. And while some are questioning if being without center Kristaps Porzingis will derail their momentum and make them vulnerable, the reality is it shouldn't matter. 

Porzingis left Boston's 102-88 Game 4 win over the Miami Heat on Monday night with what has since been diagnosed as a calf strain. This injury will force the former All-Star to miss significant time, but he should be able to return later in the postseason. The possibility of getting Porzingis back for a potential Eastern Conference Finals series has to be a relief for Boston.

But even though no team with championship aspirations wants to be without a key player for an extended period, the landscape of the conference makes this not nearly as big of a deal as it may have been otherwise. A win Wednesday night and Boston moves on, getting by a banged up Heat team that has been without Jimmy Butler, the player who led the way when Miami upset the Celtics to win the East last year. 

However, the Celtics have a clear talent advantage over every remaining team. It's not to say Porzingis won't be missed at all and isn't a benefit, but he failed to reach double digits in scoring in two of his playoff games to this point and only tied for the team lead in rebounds once. Porzingis has been a nice luxury piece, not a necessity in a weakened Eastern Conference.   

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are Boston's two best players. And looking at the rest of the conference, there's no other team that has two completely healthy players at their level. 

Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are the only duo who can make a case for being able to hang with Tatum and Brown, but the 76ers currently trail the Knicks in their first-round series 3-2 despite Maxey's recent heroics. Embiid can be dominate when 100%, but he's not been fully healthy for months and there are always questions about his availability. 

For the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson has emerged as an offensive force and Josh Hart can be dangerous, but that pair isn't Brown and Tatum. Another superstar to mention is Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell – a big scoring threat who doesn't have a true counterpart to march his production. There's also no guarantee the Cavaliers make it a second-round matchup with Boston. 

Obviously, it takes more than two players to win a championship. But fortunately for the Celtics, there is no team that has their depth either. Beyond Brown and Tatum, Derrick White showed what he brings to the table with his 38-point performance in Game 4. Jrue Holiday, known for his defensive prowess, did average 12.5 points per game during the regular season and has championship experience from winning a title with the Bucks in 2021. No other roster in the East has a full group to compare to Boston. 

Porzingis was added for a reason, but no team can overcome an injury to a key contributor better than the Celtics. Now it may be a different story if Porzingis' absence lingers to the NBA Finals, given the size out West.