Kristaps Porzingis suffered a left posterior tibialis dislocation in Game 2 of the series, a rare injury without a clear recovery timetable. Although he was considered “active” for Game 4, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla only used him for situational purposes, and Porzingis remained on the bench during Boston’s 122-84 loss in Dallas.
As of now, Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable for Game 5, and his status hasn’t been updated since the initial injury designation on Sunday afternoon.
Joe Mazzulla Reflects on Kristaps Porzingis’ Situation
“I’m not sure kind of where he’s at,” Mazzulla stated after pointing out that he had not yet spoken with Porzingis prior to the team’s practice. “But he’s trying and doing everything he can to try to put himself in position to be out there. I know that for sure.”
Xavier Tillman Sr., who has stepped up off the bench the last two games for the Celtics in the wake of Kristaps Porzingis’ injury, told reporters on Sunday that he believes Boston’s star is still dealing with a lot of pain.
Kristaps Porzingis is expected to play a similar role in Game 5 as he did in Game 4, per @ShamsCharania
“The expectation around the Celtics – at least, he’s going to play a similar role that he did in Game 4”
(🎥 @RunItBackFDTV )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 17, 2024
“We’ll see. Obviously, it’s a rare leg injury. If he’s in excruciating pain and can’t be himself it might not be worth it,” Tillman said regarding Porzingis making a return in this series, via Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell. “When we go through our practices and stuff like that, he’s doing some stuff, but you can tell he’s very uncomfortable. We don’t want to put him in any type of situation that could really, really hurt him.”
While he’s been seen walking without noticeable limitations, whether he’ll play remains a mystery. The Celtics face a tough challenge without their starting center, especially against a confident Mavericks team that just secured their first win in the series.
Read More- Rasheed Wallace Makes a Bold Comparison: 2004 Pistons vs. 2017 Warriors; Guess Who Won?