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If it seems like Enes Kanter hasn’t played much for the Boston Celtics this season, that’s because he hasn’t.
After signing a two-year deal with the Celtics over the offseason, seeking to team up with Kemba Walker and play for Boston’s revered franchise, the nine-year veteran has been out since the team’s regular season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 23 due to a left knee contusion.
Kanter, who started the game in a rather unexpected move by Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, recorded 12 points, six rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes.
The team has been hopeful Kanter would be cleared since last week but it wouldn’t be until Monday, Nov. 11 — the day of Boston’s nationally-televised matchup against the Dallas Mavericks — that Kanter would be cleared by the Celtics’ medical staff.
Per the Athletic’s Jay King, Kanter told reporters that the training staff had cleared him after shootaround, “so [he’s] good to go tonight.”
Enes Kanter just fist pumped after meeting with the training staff.
“They just cleared me,” he said. “So I’m good to go tonight.”
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 11, 2019
Kanter may not start against the Mavericks considering he’s been out for nearly three weeks and the Celtics have won seven straight games without him.
However, with Gordon Hayward’s scoring punch set to be missing from the starting lineup for a few weeks after the versatile forward fractured his hand against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, Stevens may want to have Kanter in the starting unit as an experienced offensive threat in place of the longtime Utah Jazz star.