Key Takeaways:
– The Boston Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis suffers unprecedented injury during Game 2 of the 2024 NBA finals
– Overriding medical advice, Porzingis plays in Game 5 and helps to secure the team’s win
– Surgery required to repair injury, uncertainty surrounds the player’s return date
– Al Horford expected to fill in for Porzingis at the start of the 2024-25 season
– Porzingis’s history of injuries is alarming, having only crossed the 70-game milestone once
Kristaps Porzingis, one of the key players of the Boston Celtics, experienced a remarkable injury during Game 2 of the 2024 NBA finals. According to Shams Charania from The Athletic, it is reported to be a tear of the medial retinaculum, causing a dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon. This came shortly after Porzingis had recovered from a calf injury which kept him off court for most of the Celtics playoff run.
The Impact of Porzingis’s Injury
Following this injury, Porzingis sat out Games 3 and 4, but made a comeback in Game 5, against medical advice to clinch the series win over the Dallas Mavericks. It was revealed by Joe Mazzulla on “Pardon My Take” that Porzingis overruled the Celtics medical team to participate in the game—a bold move that illustrated his unabated passion for the sport and dedication to his team.
However, the injury requires more than just sheer will power to overcome. As confirmed by the Celtics via their social media, Porzingis will need surgery for his injury, prompting questions about how long he will be out and his readiness for opening night.
Return Date Uncertain
Brad Stevens, President of Basketball Operations, revealed in an interview with The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo that the team anticipates Porzingis to miss the start of the 2024-25 season. The estimated return date remains vague, with an assurance that, “Kristaps, after his surgery, we don’t know exactly when he’ll be back, but he’ll probably miss at least the very start of the season.”
Interim Solutions
With Porzingis likely out for the initial part of the season, it’s expected that Al Horford, a seasoned player with the Celtics since 2016, will fill in. During the Celtics’ 2024 title run, Horford proved his competency by stepping up while Porzingis was injured. Despite being 38, Horford’s experience will lend stability to the frontcourt alongside his fellow teammates while Porzingis recovers.
Porzingis’s Injury History
Porzingis’s history with injuries is concerning. Since joining the NBA in 2015, he crossed the 70-game threshold only once: during his rookie year. The rest of his career has been interspersed with injuries, long breaks, and reduced game participation, counting as many as 65 games in a season and as few as 43. Notably, he missed the entire 2018-19 season after tearing his ACL.
Final Words
Regardless of his injuries, one thing remains clear: the determination and skill Porzingis brings to the team are invaluable. The Celtics, who managed an impressive victory even without their star center, will be eagerly awaiting his return and recovery. The goal: to extend their success into the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Despite his frequent injuries, Porzingis has time and again proven the investment in his talent to be worth the risk. Now, all eyes are on his recovery and the impact his absence will have on the team’s performance in the coming season.