Celtics center Nikola Vucevic is “making progress” in his recovery from finger surgery, according to head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Vucevic fractured the ring finger on his shooting hand on March 6 and has yet to return. The Celtics announced at the time that he would be reevaluated after three to four weeks, meaning the 35-year-old could return for Boston’s final few regular-season games.
“He’s getting better,” Mazzulla said Tuesday. “He’s doing his on-court work, even with his left hand, but he’s getting better and better. I don’t have an exact timeline, but I know he’s making progress in his recovery.”
Vucevic has attended several of the team’s games during his rehab, wearing a large splint/brace on his right hand. He told reporters last week in Memphis that he hoped to be back in the fold before the playoffs.
“The good thing is I can still do some stuff on the court,” Vucevic said, via The Boston Globe. “That will help me for when I come back (to be in) shape, and hopefully I get a couple games before the playoffs, get back in rhythm with the guys that week between regular season and playoffs, everything going as smoothly as possible.”
The Celtics acquired Vucevic from Chicago ahead of last month’s NBA trade deadline to back up starting big man Neemias Queta and add a new dimension to their frontcourt. He appeared in 12 games before his injury, averaging 10.4 points and 7.2 rebounds on inconsistent 44.5% shooting (35.1% from 3-point range).
During his absence, Boston has pivoted back to Luka Garza as its No. 2 center. Garza has scored in double figures four times in nine games since Vucevic went down — including a season-best 22-point, seven-rebound outing against the Grizzlies last Friday — and owns the best net rating of any Celtics rotation player during that span.
The Celtics will host the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at TD Garden.