Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis could make his Eastern Conference finals debut against the Indiana Pacers as early as Game 4 on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis slated to return by Game 4 of the ECF against Indiana Pacers

Porzingis, 28, has been making progress from a soleus strain of his right calf, accelerating his on-court ramp up and increasing his fitness to make his conference finals debut possible, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Porzingis has been out since suffering the injury in Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Miami Heat on April 30.

The eight-year veteran missed the entirety of the Celtics’ five-game conference semifinals series victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also missed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston on Tuesday night.

Reporting for ESPN NBA Countdown on Kristaps Porzingis’ looming return for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals pic.twitter.com/xKSIPQpR48

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 21, 2024

With the Celtics’ 133-128 Game 1 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers, the C’s improved to 6-1 this postseason without the Latvian big man.

Although Boston is unwilling to rush Porzingis back, the 2018 All-Star is close to making his return anyways.

On Sunday, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla provided an injury update to reporters.

“A great place,” he said when asked about Porzingis’s rehab. “He’s working hard every single day to make as fast of a recovery as he can. He’s there for everything. You can’t underestimate how hard he works trying to come back in a timely fashion.”

Game 4 is at Indiana on Memorial Day on Monday, May 27

Mazzulla was then asked whether Kristaps Porzingis was showing enough progress on the court to make a return.

“I have no idea,” he added, stating that he hopes Porzingis will make a return at some point in the East finals.

“I feel like I’m an optimistic person in general,” Mazzulla said.

In 57 games (all starts) of the regular season, Porzingis averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.

He held opponents to 44.3% shooting in the paint, which was an NBA best among contesting defenders of 500 shots or more, per Second Spectrum.

Porzingis arrived in Boston last offseason in a three-team trade with the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies.

Game 4 will be at Indiana on Memorial Day on Monday, May 27.

The Celtics host Indiana in Game 2 of the ECF this Thursday night.