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Why Is Kristaps Porzingis Not Playing Tonight? Celtics Star NBA Finals Injury Update Amid Game 3 Miss vs Mavs
Why is Kristaps Porzingis not playing tonight? Get the latest update on the Celtics star's NBA Finals injury, including the reason behind his Game 3 miss against the Mavericks
Kristaps Porzingis, the forward for the Boston Celtics, didn't participate in the season's NBA Finals Game 3 against the Dallas Mavericks.
On Tuesday, the Celtics made a public announcement revealing Porzingis' injury, a "torn medial retinaculum with posterior tibialis tendon dislocation in his left leg." They officially declared him unfit to play hours before Game 3's kick.
Porzingis's injury traces back to a late third-quarter incident in Sunday's Game 2 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden.
The prognosis for Porzingis' return in the ensuing series of games remains uncertain. The following games are set for Friday in Dallas and Monday night in Boston, respectively.
Joe Mazzulla, the head coach, stated during his Wednesday pregame press briefing, "The medical team, along with the staff, concluded it was not in his best interest to play in tonight's game." The decision hinges on daily assessments of his condition.
The Celtics will once again have Al Horford in the initial center position, which isn't surprising. However, who will substitute for Porzingis at the center remains an interesting query.
Porzingis' absence is a major blow for the Celtics and marks a tremendous setback. He was exceptional in the first two games, both as an offensive player and defensive shield. His shot-blocking skills surpass Dallas’ team total. The Celtics had a significant 25-point lead over Dallas during Porzingis’ 44-minute playtime in the initial two games.
Kristaps Porzingis' injury update and impact on the NBA Finals
In the NBA finals, Kristaps Porzingis incurred an uncommon leg injury during the second game. The Celtics announced less than two hours before Game kick-off that Porzing wouldn't participate.
Adrian Wojnarowski, an ESPN insider, suggested on NBA Countdown that there's a strong possibility Porzingis could be sidelined for the rest of the championship series. He said, “There's considerable uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porzingis's participation for the remainder of this series. Despite his eagerness to push through and take part in Game 3, it was the Celtics' medical personnel who declared him unfit.”
Before the NBA Finals began, Porzingis, a 28-year-old center, missed ten consecutive games due to a strained left calf. However, the Celtics have clarified that these two injuries are unrelated.
Despite only making two 3-pointers in the series, Porzingis's shooting threat from over 25 feet away is proving a nightmare for Boston's defense. He's not racking up points with the three-pointers, instead, he's making the most of high-post/elbow face-up jump shots.
Porzingis's ability to score from various spots has been a boon for the Celtics. In the series' first two games, he scored 7 out of 9 shots from 8–16 feet and 10 of his 17 overall jump shots.
When the Celtics need a solution, they can count on Porzingis at the high post to shoot over the defenders, which has been a nightmare for the Mavericks, who are undoubtedly relieved that they won't face this trouble in Game 3.
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