The Boston Celtics have just seven games left in the regular season. When he met with the media before their 117-112 victory vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, Nikola Vucevic said he hoped to play in some of those to help him ramp up for the playoffs.
Unfortunately, time is running out for the two-time All-Star. His status on Boston's injury reports is yet to change. On the positive side, it's a right ring finger fracture, not an ailment that will stand in the way of his conditioning work. There's no substitute for game shape, but Vucevic should return as close to that as possible despite his extended absence.
The 15th-year veteran also has over a decade of NBA experience to lean on. He's often sitting next to Celtics assistant coach D.J. MacLeay during games. It's a valuable resource who is surely helping him get up to speed even while sidelined.
Another factor working in Vucevic's favor is that Boston will have about a week between the conclusion of the regular season and the commencement of the playoffs. That's valuable time for him to continue acclimating to his new teammates and a different system than the one that he operated in with the Chicago Bulls.
Nikola Vucevic's injury update
When Vucevic met with the media in Memphis, he shared that he is able to do on-court work as his finger heals.
"The good thing is I can still do some stuff on the court," voiced Vucevic. "That will help me for when I come back [to be in] shape." He also relayed, "So far, I haven't had much pain or anything; everything has been going well," adding, "the swelling is coming down, and [I've] been working [on] the range of motion. So, hopefully, the X-ray is clean at three weeks, and I can start doing some stuff and just getting back to being comfortable and building strength in the hand."
His return could come any day now. However, Boston already ruled him out for its upcoming contest against the Miami Heat in South Beach. After that, the Celtics have six games left on their regular-season schedule, starting with a Friday night tilt against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
Whether Vucevic rejoins the lineup that night or not, hopefully, he gets some game reps in with Jayson Tatum before the playoffs. The veteran center's injury occurred just 1:47 into his first-quarter shift against the Dallas Mavericks the night that Tatum made his season debut.
Given the threat Vucevic represents when picking-and-popping and his passing abilities, the two could form a potent partnership.
The always dependable Luka Garza has stepped up in Vucevic's absence. However, even from a depth standpoint, it would be ideal for the Celtics to have both options available behind Neemias Queta as they navigate the postseason.