Gallinari believes he could've been game-changer in 2023 Eastern Conference Finals / News - Basketnews.com

Former Celtic Danilo Gallinari reflects on the unfortunate timing of his stint in Boston, expressing belief in his potential to impact their deep playoff run, especially against the Miami Heat.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

In a matchup on Monday night, the Boston Celtics secured a 126-107 victory against the Washington Wizards on the road. Before the game, The Athletic's Jay King sat down with former Celtic wing Danilo Gallinari to discuss his brief stint with the team.

Danilo Gallinari

Team:Washington WizardsPosition:PF, SFAge:35Height:208 cmWeight:102 kgBirth place:Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, ItalyProfileNewsStatistics

Gallinari, who arrived in Boston during the 2022 offseason, aimed to play a key role in the Celtics' pursuit of an NBA championship. However, his aspirations took an unfortunate turn when he tore his ACL while representing Italy in the 2022 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers, forcing him to sit out the entire subsequent season.

Eventually, he became part of the Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster trade and left for Washington.

"I had the chance to decide to go to a championship team," Gallinari said. "And just like all my career, the timing with injuries has always been terrible. So it was just bad timing.

"I thought we had the chance to win it," he added. "I thought, especially during the series with Miami, I could have helped a lot. But it's all in the past.

"Just the way that they played defense," Gallinari went on to say. "The way that they prepared the game against us, I thought that offensively, I could have helped the team a lot."

Miami eliminated Boston in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals by defeating them 4-3.

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