Game 1 of the second-round playoff series between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers will take place on Tuesday evening.

The Celtics will be missing one of its top players, as Kristaps Porzingis, a 2018 NBA All-Star, has been declared ineligible for the game.

Furthermore, Porzingis was absent from Game 5 against the Miami Heat, making this his consecutive second absence from the roster.

The Boston Celtics have released the “#NEBHInjuryReport” for tomorrow’s game against Cleveland:

Kristaps Porzingis is unavailable due to a right soleus strain.

Porzingis, who is currently in his inaugural season with the Boston team, maintained an average of 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game. He achieved these statistics by shooting 51.6% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point line over 57 games.

On Monday, head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed the topic of Porzingis at a media session (h/t Celtics on NBC Sports Boston).

Mazzulla observed an improvement in his walking ability. One notable characteristic of K.P. is his dedication to investing time and effort. Every day, he consistently demonstrates a strong sense of purpose and diligently invests effort to ensure his preparedness. 

Regardless of whether he is participating in a game or recovering from an injury. I recently seen him exhibiting improved mobility, but I have confidence in his strong commitment to his job and I am aware that he is doing maximum effort to expedite his recovery.

The Celtics hold the top position in the Eastern Conference, boasting a remarkable 64-18 record.

They emerged victorious over the Heat in the initial round, prevailing in a series of five games.

The Celtics were defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals during the previous season.