Kristaps Porzingis’ Illness: A Boston Celtics Concern Ahead of Game 3 Against the New York Knicks
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The Boston Celtics are grappling with a concerning development in their second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks: the health of big man Kristaps Porzingis. According to a report from NBC Sports Boston, Porzingis exited Game 1 due to an illness and, although he participated in Game 2, his condition remains a significant issue for the team.
Speaking to reporters after the Celtics’ heartbreaking 91-90 defeat at TD Garden on Wednesday night, Porzingis provided insight into his condition. “Yeah, I’m dealing with some — I don’t know how to call it, but just not feeling my best at all,” he said, as per NBC Sports Boston. “It just kills me inside that it’s happening in this moment.” The illness has undoubtedly affected Porzingis’ performance, with the big man managing just eight points on 3 of 5 shooting with four rebounds in 13:53 minutes of play.
Porzingis expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from within the organisation and from fans. “It’s not an injury or anything, but just not feeling my best. It’s tough for me, honestly, but who cares? Nobody feels sorry for us, sorry for me, and we have to keep going,” he said, as reported by NBC Sports Boston. The publication also noted that Porzingis missed eight consecutive games in late February and early March due to a viral upper respiratory illness. When asked if his current condition was related to the previous illness, Porzingis replied, “Probably. Probably. I’ve had ups and downs up until this point, and just now had a big crash. My energy, my everything hasn’t been good.”
The Celtics’ struggles in the series have been well-documented, with the team becoming the first in the NBA’s play-by-play era (since 1996-97) to lose two games in the same postseason when leading by 20-plus points, according to Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, as cited by NBC Sports Boston. The team’s poor fourth-quarter performances in both Game 1 and Game 2 have raised concerns, and Porzingis’ illness has undoubtedly contributed to these struggles.
During the regular season, Porzingis played a significant role in Boston’s success against the Knicks, averaging 22.4 points per game against his former team and making 50 percent of his 3-pointers (26 for 52), as reported by NBC Sports Boston. However, it is clear that this version of Porzingis has not been present in the series to date.
As the series shifts to New York on Saturday for Game 3, with tip-off set for 3:30 p.m. ET, the Celtics will be hoping that Porzingis can regain his form and help the team get back on track. NBC Sports Boston’s coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live, providing fans with in-depth analysis and commentary ahead of the crucial game. Only time will tell if Porzingis can recover from his illness and help the Celtics mount a successful comeback in the series. As NBC Sports Boston notes, Celtics fans will be eagerly watching to see how the team performs in Game 3.
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