Celtics' Brad Stevens Announces Kristaps Porzingis News on Monday
The Boston Celtics unexpectedly lost to the New York Knicks in the second round this season after winning the 2024 NBA Finals. However, they weren't at full strength, as Jaylen Brown played through a partial meniscus tear, Kristaps Porzingis played through an illness, and Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles at the end of Game 4.
Porzingis averaged just 4.2 points on 24 percent shooting (22.2 percent 3 PT) with 3.7 rebounds in 15.5 minutes against the Knicks after averaging 12 points on 35.2 percent shooting (11.8 percent 3 PT) with 5.8 rebounds in 27.4 minutes against the Orlando Magic in the first round.
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Celtics general manager Brad Stevens announced the latest on Porzingis during his end-of-season presser on Monday, via The Athletic's Jay King.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8)Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
"Brad Stevens said the way Kristaps Porzingis' illness was described to him was as 'post-viral syndrome,'" he reported. "Said playoff basketball was not conducive to helping him feel better."
"Thinks Porzingis will be aided by a couple of weeks of rest but thinks it will be 'well cleared up' by the time he plays for Latvia in Eurobasket," he continued.
Porzingis averaged 19.5 points on 48.3 percent shooting (41.2 percent 3 PT) with 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 28.8 minutes in the regular season. The 7-foot-2-inch, 240-pounder has played 99 regular season and 18 postseason games since the Washington Wizards traded him to Boston in 2023.
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New York drafted Porzingis fourth overall in 2015 and he made the All-Star team in 2018. The Knicks then traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in 2019, who traded him to the Wizards in 2022.
Related: Celtics Make Major Kristaps Porzingis Move Before Game 5 Against Knicks
Related: Kristaps Porzingis Sends Message to Celtics After Jayson Tatum's Injury
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