- Center has tendon injury in left leg
- Boston lead series 2-0 before Game 3 in Dallas
Kristaps Porziņģis hasn’t played a game in Dallas since the Mavericks traded him two years ago, and now it is uncertain if he will play there in Game 3 of the NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics.
Porziņģis has a rare tendon injury in his lower left leg, which occurred in the third quarter of Boston’s 105-98 victory for a 2-0 series lead. The team said on Tuesday that he was day-to-day, and Porziņģis said he will do everything he can to play Wednesday night.
Asked if it was a pain-tolerance problem or if he could do more damage, Porziņģis said he didn’t know the specifics.
“That’s something I’ll leave in the medical staff’s hands to determine whether I can go or not,” he said. “Nothing is going to stop me unless I’m told I’m not to, or not allowed to play. That’s the only reason I would not be out there.”
The 7ft 2inch Latvian center has a tear in tissue that holds tendons in place. The Celtics said it was unrelated to the right calf strain that sidelined him for 10 consecutive playoff games before he returned last Thursday for the start of the NBA Finals.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla described it as a “serious injury” and said the team wouldn’t put Porzingis in any bad situations. Porziņģis is listed as questionable.
“We’ve taken the decision to play out of his hands because the importance of him,” Mazzulla said. “He’s going to do everything he can to play. We’re going to leave it up to our medical team. That’s really it.”
Porziņģis was wearing slides instead of sneakers when he spoke with reporters before practice. He walked with a slight limp and had a black sleeve covering his lower left leg on the off day.
Without elaborating, he said he was having treatment all day and doing whatever the medical staff told him. He wasn’t on the court for the open portion of practice.
“I can’t trick them into allowing me to play,” he said.
Porziņģis said he felt something after bumping knees Sunday night with Dallas center Dereck Lively II but kept playing. He left the game in the final minute of the third quarter and played only about three minutes in the fourth.
After the game, Porziņģis downplayed any injury concern, saying he was optimistic and would “die out there if we need.”