Danilo Gallinari Takes Step Forward In Recovery From ACL Injury

Over the offseason, the Boston Celtics signed veteran forward Danilo Gallinari to a contract.

The move made a lot of sense for the Celtics, and Gallinari was expected to play a significant role for the team this season.

Unfortunately, the 34-year-old suffered a torn ACL at the 2022 EuroBasket, drastically changing the outlook of his 2022-23 NBA campaign.

But Gallinari hasn’t ruled out the idea of returning before the season ends, and he seems to be making solid progress as he rehabs.

He recently shared a video to Twitter in which he can be seen putting up his first shot since the injury.

First shot after injury…same touch 😉🎯#BostonCeltics #Rehab #basketball pic.twitter.com/0xOf5tqaRi

— DANILO GALLINARI (@gallinari8888) October 25, 2022

It’s certainly great to see that the veteran is back in the gym.

The Road Ahead

It remains to be seen if Gallinari will be able to play this season, but the idea of him taking the court for Boston at some point is certainly an exciting thought for fans of the team.

Despite a recent loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Celtics are 3-1 and look like one of the best teams in the league again, and Gallinari would only make them better.

Last season, the former first-round pick averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from deep.

He has never won an NBA title or made the NBA Finals, which are goals the Celtics are looking to accomplish this season and beyond.

If Gallinari returns this season, he’ll look to help Boston check those boxes.

If he isn’t able to suit up until next season, he’ll still be able to help the Celtics compete for a title as long as he decides to pick up his player option for the 2023-24 campaign.