The Boston Celtics announced Kristaps Porzingis is good to go for Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks after missing Games 3 and 4 with a left leg injury.
The 7’2 Latvian originally sustained a posterior tibialis dislocation in his left leg during the Celtics’ Game 2 win over the Mavs when he collided with Dallas center Derek Lively II in the third quarter. He came up limping and didn’t look right for the rest of the game.
Porzingis missed Game 3, but was active for Game 4 — though “active” might be a strong word for it. Head coach Joe Mazzulla said before Boston’s Game 4 loss that Porzingis was “not quite there” in terms of starting, but available to play in “very specific instances if necessary.”
No one (but Mazzulla, presumably) knows what those instances are, but none of them occurred in Game 4 as the Celtics got blown out by the Mavericks 122-84. The championship wasn’t on the line, and Porzingis subsequently didn’t see any playing time.
Despite the loss, resting Porzingis helped him be ready for the Celtics’ golden opportunity on Monday night. They’ve got a 3-1 lead and they’re playing the Mavericks at home. They need just one more win to bring that trophy home, and Mazzulla’s got all hands on deck to make it happen.
