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Kristaps Porzingis takes a shot against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter of Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
CNN
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Boston Celtics star Kristaps Porzingis suffered a “unique” injury in Game 2 of the NBA Finals and is in doubt for Game 3 against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Latvian “suffered a torn medial retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibial tendon in his left leg at 3:27 in the third quarter of Game 2,” the Celtics said in a statement.
“After consulting with many experts on this rare injury, [Porziņģis’] His availability for future matches will be assessed on a day-to-day basis.”
Just how rare is the Celtics big man's injury? A 2006 study published in the Iowa Orthopaedic Journal found that only 32 cases of posterior tibial tendon dislocation had been reported in the British literature at the time.
Porzingis had already missed most of the playoffs with a right calf injury, but Boston said it was unrelated to this latest injury.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla described it as a “serious injury,” while Porzingis said in his press conference ahead of Game 3 that he would do everything in his power to play.
“I'm going to leave it up to the medical staff to see if I can play,” the Boston center told reporters. “Unless they say I'm banned or I can't play, there's nothing stopping me. That's the only reason I'm not going to play.”
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Porzinis spoke to the media ahead of Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
Porzinis has proven to be a key piece in unlocking the Celtics' unstoppable offense since transferring to Massachusetts last summer.
His 7-foot-2 frame combined with his ability to consistently shoot 3-pointers helped spread out Boston's offense and allow his teammates to take advantage of the space.
The Celtics had the best offense in the NBA during the regular season and finished the season easily with the best record in the league.
Porzingis missed most of the postseason but returned in the NBA Finals against his former team, the Mavericks, helping Boston take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
He had 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks in Game 1 and 12 points and two blocks in 23 minutes in Game 2.
His availability is questionable, but his teammates have spoken highly of his talent, with Jayson Tatum calling him a “unicorn” ahead of Game 3.
“We're a lot better with him. He's a top talent,” Tatum told reporters. “Obviously, we've found ways to be successful and win without him. We're obviously a better team when he's on the team and playing together.”
Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals will kick off at 8:30 pm ET on Wednesday from the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
