Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis has been officially ruled out for Boston’s Game 5 against Miami with a calf injury.
Key Celtics Star Marked Out For Game 5
Kristaps Porzingis, who is averaging 12.3 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in an up-and-down first-round series with the Miami Heat, has been officially scratched with a calf injury. Porzingis suffered the injury after attempting a dribble hand-off with Jaylen Brown, but he pulled up and immediately signaled for a substitution. It didn’t appear that anyone made contact with Porzingis on the play of the injury. The Celtics big took the walk of shame to the locker room as he clapped his hands and muttered in frustration. Boston led the game 47-31 with two minutes and 36 seconds left in the second quarter.
good W tonight. DWhite is special!!
Thanks for all the support, will be good 💪
— Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) April 30, 2024
Early MRI scanning revealed that Porzingis doesn’t have an Achilles injury. But, viewers saw Porzingis exit the arena in a gray walking boot. The C’s deemed the injury calf tightness, and the Latvian star will undergo deeper scanning today.
Although Porzingis was in a good mood as the C’s finished the game, sources close to ESPN stated that he’ll miss several games beyond Game Five. He’s a huge question mark as the Celtics set their eyes on the second round of playoffs.
It didn’t stop the Celtics from utterly dominating the Heat as they pushed on to the brink of advancing in Game Four. The Celtics eased their way to a 14-point victory off the back of Derrick White‘s career-high 38 points. Jayson Tatum had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, while Brown chipped in with 17 points.
How Porzingis’ Injury Impacts Celtics
Porzingis’ injury in this playoff series is a mixed bag for head coach Joe Mazzulla and the C’s. Although Porzingis missed 25 games in the regular season through various injuries, Boston went 21-4 without him. Their depth and ability to replace key players make them a dangerous power in the East.
“Worried, just concerned,” Celtics center Al Horford told the Boston Globe. “Any time that any of your guys go back there, especially him, the way that he was walking, is definitely concerning for me.”
Horford will likely replace Porzingis as the starting center going forward. He took the role of a rotation player this season, averaging 8.6 points and 6.4 rebounds in 65 appearances. However, his ability to stretch the floor and unclog the paint is unmatched. It rings true in this series against a dominant Bam Adebayo. By keeping him out of the paint and guarding Horford on the perimeter, the Celtics can grab more rebounds and score more paint points.
Horford averages 51/42/87 shooting splits. If you want a center that can space the floor and shoot it, Horford’s your guy.
Star player Jayson Tatum also saw an injury scare. Tatum hoisted a shot up after a foul occurred on the court, and Adebayo playfully blocked it. Adebayo ended up in Tatum’s landing spot, and Tatum rolled his ankle. The affected ankle was the same that he tweaked last year in the conference finals against the Heat. Adebayo saw a flagrant one-foul, while Tatum stayed in the game.
“I was mad, just because it’s the same ankle (from Game 7),” Tatum said in a post-game interview. “I’ve tweaked my ankle 1,000 times playing this game. It was throbbing, but then the adrenaline made it wear off I guess, and just kept playing.”
The Celtics will look to pick up some extra days of rest by taking Game Five at home. Up 3-1 in the series, a win at TD Garden will bring Boston to the second round of the playoffs for the third straight time. In addition, a win would give the Celtics and Porzingis more time to recover from their injury. They will play the winner of the Cavaliers and the Magic.
The Heat have their question marks going into the game. In addition to missing star Jimmy Butler, Jaime Jaquez Jr. didn’t travel to Boston with the team because of a strained hip flexor. Jaquez Jr. averages 12.8 points, 3.3 boards, and 3 assists per game this series.
