Kristaps Porzingis doubtful for Game 3 of NBA finals with ‘rare’ leg injury
Kristaps Porziņģis hasn’t played a game in Dallas since the Mavericks traded him two years ago, and now it’s uncertain whether he’ll play there in Game 3 of the NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics.
Porziņģis has a rare tendon injury in his lower left leg, which occurred in the third quarter of Boston’s 105-98 win for a 2-0 series lead. The team said Tuesday he was playing every day and Porziņģis said he will do everything he can to play Wednesday night.
When asked if it was a pain tolerance problem or if he could do more damage, Porziņģis said he did not know the details.
“That’s something I’ll leave up to the medical staff to determine if I can go or not,” he said. “Nothing will stop me unless I’m told I can’t or can’t play. That’s the only reason I wouldn’t be there.”
The 7-foot Latvian center has a tear in the tissue that holds the tendons in place. The Celtics said it had nothing to do with the right calf strain that sidelined him for 10 straight playoff games before returning last Thursday for the start of the NBA Finals.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla described it as a “serious injury” and said the team would not put Porzingis in bad situations. Porziņģis is listed as doubtful.
“We made the decision to play out of his hands because of his importance,” Mazzulla said. “He’s going to do everything he can to play. We’ll leave it to our medical team. That’s it really.”
Porziņģis wore flip-flops instead of sneakers when he spoke to reporters before training. He walked with a slight limp and on the day off had a black sleeve covering his lower left leg.
Without elaborating further, he said he was under treatment all day and did what the medical staff told him to do. He was not on the field during the open part of the training.
“I can’t trick them into letting me play,” he said.
Porziņģis said he felt something after bumping knees with Dallas center Dereck Lively II on Sunday night, but continued to play. He left the game in the final minute of the third quarter and played only about three minutes in the fourth.
After the match, Porziņģis played down any injury concerns, saying he was optimistic and “would die there if he had to.”
In his return during Game 1, his first career game after the first round, Porziņģis got the Celtics off to a flying start with 11 points and two blocks in the first quarter of the 107-89 win, while finishing with 20 points, three blocks and six rebounds. He scored 12 points in 23 minutes of Game 2.
“We’re just a much better team when we have him. 7-4 unicorn, right? He’s as talented as they come,” Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said.