Boston Celtics forward Kristaps Porzingis, who left the second half of his team`s surprising Game 1 defeat to the New York Knicks due to illness, has been cleared to play in Game 2. Coach Joe Mazzulla had initially stated on Tuesday that the big man`s condition was being evaluated on a day-to-day basis. However, the team confirmed Porzingis`s availability shortly before Wednesday`s Game 2 tip-off.
In other roster news, the team announced that forward Sam Hauser, who sprained his ankle in the series opener, will not participate in Wednesday`s game. This absence will impact Boston`s depth and limit their options for player rotations.
Mazzulla indicated that Porzingis`s current health issue is connected to a mysterious viral illness that previously sidelined him for eight consecutive games spanning late February and early March. During that earlier period, Porzingis was observed on the bench with the team and engaging in workouts at the facility, but he was medically unable to compete in games.
On March 10, just a few days before his return to action, Porzingis posted on social media, “I have been dealing with some viral illness that we haven`t been able to fully identify yet. I am recovering and getting better, but I am still working my way back to full strength to help this team. Thanks for your support, and I`m hoping for a healthy return soon.”
Following his first game back on March 15, Porzingis shared more details about the symptoms he experienced. Although the team confirmed the illness was not COVID-19, further specifics regarding its nature remain unclear.
Speaking about his time away on March 15, Porzingis revealed, “For a week, [I was] really just laying at home, trying to recover. And then after that, I still had lingering fatigue. And, I still have it a little bit, but at least now, I`m getting into, more or less, shape to be able to play. But yeah, after each workout, I was — boom, big crash. So, I was really, really fatigued. Not normal.”
He added, “It was extremely, extremely frustrating not knowing what I had. I haven`t been this sick, probably ever, in my life.”
Upon returning from the earlier illness, Porzingis performed exceptionally well on both ends of the court, contributing significantly to the Celtics` strong 19-3 finish to the regular season, which solidified their position as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. However, he appeared to struggle during the team`s first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic and was playing below his usual standard in Game 1 against the Knicks before exiting the game early in the second quarter.
Mazzulla commented on Tuesday regarding Porzingis`s condition since his return, saying, “Since he came back, he`s kind of been dealing with it — working through it, fighting through it, doing the best he can. And I think it was just too much for him in that game. He had been working through it since he`s gotten back, and he`s done a great job of being available. It was just hard for him to continue yesterday.”
The Celtics are relatively accustomed to periods without Porzingis, as he has appeared in only 99 regular-season games during his two seasons with the franchise and missed the majority of the playoffs last year. While they successfully won a championship in his absence previously, it`s difficult to envision them repeating that feat if he is sidelined or unable to play at his peak performance level. Consequently, the news confirming his participation in Game 2 is a positive development for Boston.
Jasper Hawthorne