2 min read • June 11, 2024
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- June 17 Update -
The Latvian bigman was able to suit up but did not play in the Game 4 loss to Mavericks. Listed as questionable ahead of Game 5 our thoughts below hold true that Porzingis will continue to watch from sidelines. Players on the team have noticed he looks uncomfortable in practice and this will not change during the finals. Expect the “specific instances” that Porzingis is reportedly available for for to not be enough for him to play.
The Celtics announced that Porzingis sustained a torn medial retinaculum with an associated dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg. This is particularly bad news for a basketball player, as the injury is rare and involves the major tendon on the medial side of the leg flipping over the ankle bone.
Despite attempting to play through the pain after the injury, Porzingis contributed little in his limited minutes. Although he is listed as day-to-day, our panel of Pro Sports Docs expects him to miss the remainder of the NBA Finals. Based on their experience, this type of injury typically requires surgery and cannot be played through effectively.
A similar famous case is when pitcher Curt Schilling of the Boston Red Sox dealt with a peroneal tendon injury, often remembered as the "bloody sock" incident. However, pitching, with its more limited motion, is easier to manage with temporary fixes like sutures, unlike the demands of basketball.
In basketball, the dynamic nature of the sport makes it highly unlikely for Porzingis to return and be effective on either end of the court. The severity of his injury and the need for surgical intervention mean he will likely be ruled out for the rest of the series. This significantly shifts the dynamic of the NBA Finals, as the Celtics will now have to adjust their strategies and rotations in the absence of their key big man.
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