NBA
Why isn’t Kirstaps Porzingis playing against the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals?
The Latvian has been an instrumental player in both wins against the Mavs for Boston in the best of seven series.
Boston Celtics are looking to secure their first NBA Championship since 2008 and should they overcome the Dallas Mavericks in the best of seven series, they would edge past arch rivals LA Lakers with 18 NBA titles to the 17 secured by the team from the City of Angels.
Any fears that Celtics fans may have held of a reparation of the ‘ghosts of the 2022 defeat at the hands of the Warriors’ have been quickly dispelled after two wins from the opening contests of the series at the TD Garden as the series now heads back to Dallas for the next two installments in the final. However their task is made more difficult with the news that Kristaps Porzingis has been ruled out of Game 3 with an injury, depriving the Celtics of one of their dominant players.
How serious is the Porzingis injury?
The first game of the 2024 Finals marked the return of Latvian Kristaps Porzingis who had been sidelined since late April. The 28-year-old made an emphatic return making an immediate impact off the bench bagging 20 points for Boston on his comeback.
The seven foot tall Porzingis had missed all of May’s action due to a calf strain added six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes as Boston left Dallas looking for answers.
Game 2 also saw the Latvian on court for more than 20 minutes and despite the Celtics not sizzling on the night, the 28-year-old was on hand to drop 12 points as part of the 98-105 win.
However, the night was tinged with frustration for the power forward as he claims ‘to have felt something’ and this ailment saw him listed him as ‘questionable’ for Game 3. Ahead of tip-off on Wednesday it was confirmed that Porzingis will not play for Boston.
What is left posterior tibialis dislocation?
The Celtics later confirmed that Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg during the third quarter of Game 2. The injury is not related to Porzingis’ prior right calf injury that kept him out of the team’s lineup for most of the playoffs.
The Tibialis Posterior is located deep in the posterior compartment of the lower leg and situated towards the ankle. It is a key stabilising muscle supporting the medial arch of the foot and a rare injury.
Speaking to the media ahead of Game 3, the Latvian had maintained that he will do everything he can to play Wednesday night claiming that he would: “die out there if we need” adding, “I’m living by those words. … I mean I hope not, but if it comes to that to win, I guess.” Game 3 starts at 8:30 (ET) on Wednesday night in Texas with Game 4 scheduled for Friday (14 June) at the American Airlines Center before heading back to Boston for a possible Game 5.