According to Boston Celtics PR, Kristaps Porzingis is QUESTIONABLE to return to Game 1 against the New York Knicks due to a non-Covid illness. The Celtics big man checked out of the game with 7:34 in the second quarter and was noticeable missing from the bench for most of the remainder of the period. He came out to the court at half-time for a brief period but was not on the bench when the second half started. Al Horford started the third quarter in his place.
Porzingis has a very long injury history, and he missed most of the Celtics' 2024 NBA Championship run with a calf strain. Then, once the Finals came around, he suffered a rare foot injury that required surgery over the summer. He returned to the court in late November of 2024. On top of that, Porzingis also missed eight games in March due to an illness.
Now, there are more question marks regarding the big man's availability.
What does missing Kristaps Porzingis mean for Celtics vs. Knicks?
At his best, Porzingis is an absolute game-changer for the Celtics. His ability to hurt the Knicks with his floor-spacing gives them a whole new layer to their offense, especially when he runs the pick-and-roll with Jayson Tatum.
Having Tatum with the ball in his hands and Porzingis stretching the floor above the break puts New York in a very tough spot. If they switch the pick-and-roll, they are left with a big man guarding Tatum in space, and Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson aren't great at containing him in those spots. But if they play drop defense, Porzingis will drain threes.
How was Kristaps Porzingis doing in Game 1 vs. Knicks?
Before his exit from Game 1, Porzingis got the start and logged 12:58. However, he was fairly ineffective in those minutes. he shot 0-of-4 from the floor, but he did manage to grab four offensive rebounds (though two came on the same possession, as he missed three shots in a row).
Porzingis had a plus/minus of zero in his minutes, and both Horford and Luke Kornet looked far more effective when they were on the court in the center spot.
The early struggles in Game 1 were a tough sign for the big man, as he also struggled mightily in the Celtics' previous series against the Orlando Magic. The physicality in that series clearly bothered him, but his Game 1 struggles seemed to be caused by other problems.