The complicated and rare lower body injury Kristaps Porzingis suffered in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals clearly did not affect the Boston Celtics all that much.
After it was reported Porzingis was dealing with a “torn medial retinaculum,” the Latvian big man was ruled out for Game 3 shortly before tip-off. The Celtics leaned on Al Horford, as they had for the many games Porzingis missed earlier in the postseason, and turned to Xavier Tillman Sr. for backup duty and he delivered. Boston ultimately prevailed in Game 3, 106-99, to take a nigh-insurmountable 3-0 lead in the Finals.
The Celtics will look to finish off the sweep in Friday’s Game 4 and early reporting suggests Porzingis could be healthy enough to help. On Thursday, The Athletic‘s Shams Charania said Porzingis “has a chance” to suit up for Game 4.
“There is a chance Kristaps Porzingis plays in Game 4” 👀@ShamsCharania with the latest on Porzingis’ leg injury pic.twitter.com/9Lovww2aJg
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) June 13, 2024
After Wednesday night’s victory the Celtics are 10-1 without Porzingis this postseason. They have shown time and time again that they can win without their starting center. But Boston’s Game 1 win over Dallas showed how impactful Porzingis can be when he’s healthy and cooking. The Celtics won that contest by 18, the only game they’ve won by double-digits so far.
Wins are wins but Porzingis’s presence provides a fairly large buffer for Boston. He averaged 20.1 points and 1.8 blocks per game during the regular season. That production can be compensated for by the extremely strong roster the Celtics boast but there’s a trickle-down effect with Porzingis out there and healthy that makes everyone else’s lives much easier.
Game 4 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET in Dallas.
