• Likely to miss second-round series
    Porzingis (calf) will likely remain sidelined for the Celtics' second-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.

    Advice: Porzingis sustained a calf injury in Game 4 of Boston's first-round series and was unavailable for Wednesday's Game 5 as the Celtics took down the Heat to advance to the second round. He's been diagnosed with a right soleus strain and was expected to miss several games, and it appears likely that his absence will span the entirety of the second round. However, the Celtics hope that Porzingis will be able to return if the team advances to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the 28-year-old will rest and rehab in the coming days. Rotowire.com 32 minutes ago
  • Efficient in Game 5 win
    White chipped in 25 points (8-13 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 4-5 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal across 29 minutes during Wednesday's 118-84 win over Miami in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    Advice: White co-led the Celtics in scoring Wednesday alongside Jaylen Brown, and he enjoyed playing a more prominent role on offense with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) sidelined and with Jayson Tatum taking a bit of a step back on the scoring side of things. White reached the 20-point mark in three of his five appearances in the series against the Heat, and he should remain an offensive menace in the Eastern Conference Semifinals regardless of whether the Celtics face the Magic or the Cavaliers. Rotowire.com Today, 6:13 am
  • Al Horford posts modest line in Game 5 victory
    Al Horford played 23 minutes in Wednesday’s Game 5 win over the Heat, finishing with eight points (3-of-4 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one 3-pointers.

    Advice: The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a strained right soleus muscle during Game 4. As was the case throughout the regular season, Horford moved into the starting lineup. The veteran big man didn’t have to do much, as Boston got off to a hot start and never looked back in their decisive win over the Heat. Ending this series in five games gets the Celtics additional rest, especially if the Cleveland/Orlando series goes the distance. With Porzingis unlikely to return before the conference finals (should Boston advance that far), Horford will serve as the starting center in the second round. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:10 pm
  • Derrick White scores 25 points with five triples
    Derrick White shot 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line in Wednesday’s win over the Heat, scoring 25 points with five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and five 3-pointers in 29 minutes.

    Advice: It didn’t take long for White, who scored 38 points in Game 4, and the Celtics to turn the series clincher into a laugher. Boston tallied 41 points in the first quarter and did not look back, earning themselves some valuable rest days ahead of the second round. Whether the opponent is Cleveland or Orlando (CLE leads 3-2 ahead of Friday’s Game 6), White will be a crucial figure due to his defensive prowess. And the final games of the Heat series showed what he’s capable of offensively, especially if opponents devote too much defensive attention to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:54 pm
  • Haynes: Porzingis could return for conf. finals
    According to TNT’s Chris Haynes, Kristaps Porzingis (right soleus strain) is likely out for the second round but could be back if the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

    Advice: Porzingis injured his calf during Boston’s Game 4 victory, which gave them a 3-1 lead over the Heat. While advancing to the second round isn’t guaranteed, the odds favor Boston. According to the report, Porzingis is unlikely to play during the second round, but he could be available if the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Al Horford will replace KP in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future. Rotoworld Yesterday, 4:12 pm
  • Starting sans Porzingis
    Horford will enter the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Heat.

    Advice: Horford played 34 minutes in Game 4 with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) going down with an injury in the first half. With Porzingis sidelined Wednesday -- and likely longer -- Horford will step into the starting center role, where he's expected to remain until Porzingis returns. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 4:11 pm
  • Clutch in Game 5 win
    Mobley accumulated 14 points (7-11 FG, 0-2 FT), 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in 39 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 victory over the Magic in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    Advice: The Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs) for this game, so Mobley shifted to center and produced a masterclass on the defensive end. His emphatic block on Franz Wagner's game-tying layup attempt at the end of regulation secured the win for Cleveland, giving the Cavaliers a 3-2 series lead. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:12 am
  • Evan Mobley comes away with game-saving block
    Evan Mobley posted a full line on Tuesday with 14 points (7-of-11 FGs), 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks against Orlando in Game 5.

    Advice: With Jarrett Allen sidelined with a rib contusion, Evan Mobley was the primary center for this game. He has had a solid series, but Allen has been more dominant down low. However, this was a golden opportunity for Mobley to shine, and he ended up securing the win by blocking a layup attempt from Franz Wagner with just a few seconds left. He posted a full stat line and made numerous plays down the stretch that resulted in the win. It’s unclear if Allen will be back for Game 6 on Friday, but if he remains out, the Cavs should be confident with Mobley at center. Rotoworld Tuesday, 8:02 pm
  • Likely out multiple games
    Porzingis (calf) is expected to miss a minimum of several games, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Porzingis has already been ruled out for Game 5 against Miami on Wednesday due to a right soleus strain, but it now appears that he will be headed toward an extended absence. It seems unlikely that Porzingis will return to action for the remainder of Boston's first-round series and could be kept out longer if the team continues to advance in the playoffs. With the 28-year-old big man sidelined, Al Horford should slide into the starting lineup, with Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman competing for bench minutes. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 2:37 pm