Stevens details Porzingis’ chances of playing in Game 5 appeared first on NBC Sports Boston
Kristaps Porzingis delivered one of the greatest quotes of all time after suffering a foot injury in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
“We’re going to do everything we can to get back and get things going.” The Boston Celtics big man said“I’m willing to die out there if necessary.”
That was before Porzingis and the Celtics knew the exact extent of his injury: He was diagnosed with a “torn medial retinaculum in his left leg and a dislocated posterior tibial tendon,” a rare injury that required surgery, as Porzingis revealed after the Finals.
Porzingis sat out Games 3 and 4 of the series, but he wasn’t expected to miss the championship game at TD Garden. In an exclusive interview with Celtics source Chris Forsberg, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens detailed the Latvian star’s return to the court.
“It was obvious that it was going to be a pretty uncomfortable situation, but we couldn’t do much to make it worse,” Stevens said of Porzingis’ injury, “and the question really was, could he come back with the help of our medical staff, because he had to get it fixed anyway.”
“When I left the building on Sunday, I didn’t think he was going to play in Game 5. But he woke up that morning and said, ‘No, I’m going to play. I don’t care. It hurts, but I can’t handle it.’
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Porzingis had five points and one rebound in 16 minutes in Boston’s Game 5 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Though he didn’t have his usual impact on the game, his presence was felt every time he touched the ball or was on the video board as the TD Garden crowd roared.
Shortly after the Celtics’ championship celebration, coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis had ignored the advice of the team’s medical staff and played in Game 5. The decision was emblematic of the team’s state of mind, with Banner 18 within reach.
“All of our guys really wanted it, no question about it, and he wanted to be a part of it,” Stevens added. “Even in Game 4, he wasn’t in great form. We were going to use him in a special situation, maybe he had to handle the ball with 0.2 seconds left or whatever the situation was, but he just wanted to be in uniform.”
“I think in Game 5 he said, ‘It’s not going to be easy.’ He had some moments closing out games where he seemed to be struggling to get in, but I think his presence and willingness to play fired up the crowd and fired up the players. He’ll have surgery soon, but he’ll be fully healthy whenever he returns.”
The Celtics announced Tuesday that Porzingis will undergo surgery soon and will not play for his native Latvia at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Stevens told reporters that they will have a better idea of Porzingis’ timeline for recovery after the surgery.
Watch the full one-on-one with Forsberg and Stevens below, or on YouTube.
