BOSTON — The 2023-24 Celtics were so deep, so talented, so well-coached that they played more than a third of the season without their third-best player and never blinked.

Starting center Kristaps Porzingis sat out 25 games during the regular season – some due to injury, others for rest. Boston won 21 of them.

In the playoffs, Porzingis suffered two leg injuries that sidelined him for 12 games, including the entire Eastern Conference semifinals and finals. No matter. The Celtics went 10-2 in those contests, including one NBA Finals loss in which Porzingis dressed but did not play.

All told, the Celtics posted a record of 31-6 when Porzingis – whose arrival last offseason was a key factor in the team’s leap from title contender to dominant champion – sat out. Their .838 winning percentage was, remarkably, even higher than their win rate in games Porzingis did play (.766).

Can the Celtics replicate that success this season? We’ll soon find out.

The “rare” leg injury Porzingis suffered during the NBA Finals required offseason surgery to repair, and that procedure carried a projected recovery time of five to six months. Since it was completed in late June, the 29-year-old is unlikely to return before Thanksgiving and could be out until 2025.

If the Celtics want to be extra cautious with their 7-foot-2 frontcourt standout, who averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game and shot a career-best 51.6% from the floor in his first season on Causeway Street, they could sit him for the entire first half of the season, ensuring he’ll be healthy and fresh for their next playoff run.

It’s unclear exactly how long it’ll take Porzingis to be game-ready, but he resumed basketball activities at least a month ago, according to photos and videos he’s shared from training sessions in his native Latvia.

“The surgery went great,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said on June 27. “I think the way it impacts us is just making sure we have the right amount of bodies for the start of the season. But obviously he’ll be back at some point soon into the season, and we’ll go from there.”

With nearly its entire championship-winning roster back this season, Boston has the pieces to weather Porzingis’ absence, however long it might be. But how head coach Joe Mazzulla replaces him will be one of the top on-court storylines once the new season tips off on Oct. 22.

The only time Porzingis missed more than five consecutive games last season was in the playoffs. Mazzulla’s solution to that loss was to turn Al Horford back into a full-time starter. After coming off the bench in nearly half of his appearances during the regular season, the 38-year-old Horford started Boston’s final 15 postseason games, remaining in the starting five even after Porzingis returned in a limited capacity during the Finals.

That setup worked wonderfully in the short term – Horford handled his elevated role with aplomb and was terrific in several playoff victories – but can’t be Mazzulla’s every-night answer this season. At this stage of his career, Horford’s minutes need managing. He needs nights off, especially in back-to-backs, and it’ll be up to Boston’s reserves to pick up the slack.

Luke Kornet headlines that group. The 7-foot-2 journeyman is coming off the best season of his career, setting personal bests in field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and rebounds per game across 63 appearances. He re-signed this offseason after serving as Boston’s top frontcourt backup for most of the postseason.

So did Xavier Tillman, the trade-deadline pickup who gave the Celtics some good minutes during the NBA Finals, and Neemias Queta, who played well enough in 2023-24 to parlay his two-way contract into a permanent roster spot. The 25-year-old Queta dominated at the Las Vegas Summer League in July (21.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game on 64% shooting) and is a candidate for a larger role this season as Mazzulla assembles his rotation sans Porzingis.

Kornet, Tillman and Queta all are useful players, but none can offer the stretch shooting ability Boston gets when Porzingis or Horford (or both) is on the floor. Tillman is a career 26.7% 3-point shooter, and Kornet and Queta attempted a total of one three all last season. The three ball is central to Mazzulla’s philosophy, with the Celtics ranking first in made and attempted threes and second in 3-point shooting percentage last season.

“Our guys did a really good job of playing without him (last season) and figuring out the best way to navigate those times,” Stevens said. “But there’s no question we’re better when he’s on the floor. So get him back, get him fully healthy and get him ready to go and let him do his little WWE entrance in the Garden whenever that time comes. Maybe we’ll need a jolt in December or whenever that is, and that’ll be a good little evening.”

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