NEW YORK — The Celtics might have their full rotation out there for Sport 4 in opposition to the New York Knicks on Monday night time. Sam Hauser, who sprained his proper ankle in Sport 1 and missed the earlier two video games, is questionable, and Mazzulla on Sunday mentioned he was progressing.
“He’s getting there,” Mazzulla mentioned. “He’s getting higher. He’s day-to-day, getting higher day-after-day.”
Hauser appeared to undergo a full shootaround on Monday, going by each offensive and defensive drills.
Hauser averaged 5.4 factors off the bench final playoff run, taking pictures 38% from three. His alternatives had been restricted within the first spherical in opposition to the Magic — the Celtics’ sharpshooter made 4 of 9 three-point makes an attempt in opposition to an Orlando protection that fought to remove the three-point shot.
Then, he sprained his ankle within the sequence opener in opposition to the Knicks, going scoreless in his 4 minutes.
The Celtics struggled from three-point vary in Video games 1 and a pair of, hitting simply 25 of 100 three-point makes an attempt. However, they caught hearth in Sport 3, sinking 20 of 40 makes an attempt.
Hauser’s looming return might additional bolster their potential to attain from the surface.
“It could be big,” Jrue Vacation mentioned at Monday’s shootaround at Madison Sq. Backyard. “Clearly, his three-point taking pictures. How he areas the ground. With the ability to be dynamic. Having Massive Smoove again can be good.”
Kristaps Porzingis is accessible for Sport 4
Kristaps Porzingis, who has been restricted to fifteen.3 minutes per recreation on this sequence as a result of lingering results from an sickness he suffered in late February, was not on the damage report forward of Sport 4.
He exited Sport 1 early on account of sickness and got here off the bench in Video games 2 and three, logging 8 factors in 14 minutes in Sport 2 and 5 factors in 19 minutes in Sport 3. Porzingis additionally tallied 3 blocks in Saturday’s blowout victory.
“He appears good,” Vacation mentioned. “I believe that he’s all the time gonna come on the market, and if he’s on the court docket, he’s gonna give every thing he has.”
Jrue Vacation’s hamstring has held up effectively within the second spherical
The remainder of the Celtics’ roster is sweet to go forward of Sport 4. Vacation missed three video games within the first spherical of the playoffs in opposition to the Magic with a hamstring pressure, however mentioned at shootaround that he’s felt good in opposition to the Knicks.
“It feels good,” he mentioned. “It feels wholesome. I haven’t had any points.”
Throughout 5 postseason video games, Vacation is averaging 10.8 factors on 53.8% taking pictures. He’s additionally been tasked with guarding Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
