The Boston Celtics will face the Atlanta Hawks, and Kristaps Porzingis won't be able to join them. The 7-foot-2 center has been ruled out of Saturday's game with a left Achilles tendinitis diagnosis, downgraded from questionable to out on Friday.
Porzingis' health issues have persisted since joining the Hawks in July last year. He has struggled to stay healthy, missing 26 games out of the team's 43 due to various injuries and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). The 30-year-old center has dealt with an Achilles injury that originated while playing for the Celtics and was exacerbated in the playoffs last April.
Despite his recent setbacks, Porzingis remains a productive player on the court when he is healthy. He's averaging 17.1 points per game this season, with a shooting percentage of 45.7% from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc.
The Hawks will now face Boston without forward Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) and possibly guard Payton Pritchard (left ankle soreness). Porzingis will have two more chances to play against his former team this season, with Atlanta visiting Boston on January 28 and March 27, followed by the Celtics' visit to Atlanta on March 30.
Porzingis' health issues have persisted since joining the Hawks in July last year. He has struggled to stay healthy, missing 26 games out of the team's 43 due to various injuries and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). The 30-year-old center has dealt with an Achilles injury that originated while playing for the Celtics and was exacerbated in the playoffs last April.
Despite his recent setbacks, Porzingis remains a productive player on the court when he is healthy. He's averaging 17.1 points per game this season, with a shooting percentage of 45.7% from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc.
The Hawks will now face Boston without forward Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) and possibly guard Payton Pritchard (left ankle soreness). Porzingis will have two more chances to play against his former team this season, with Atlanta visiting Boston on January 28 and March 27, followed by the Celtics' visit to Atlanta on March 30.
. I was really hoping to see him crush it against his former team this season. But you know how it is, injuries are just part of the game 
. It's like my grandma used to say, "You can't control the weather, but you can prepare for it." 
. And who knows, maybe Porzingis will make a comeback and dominate the court when he's back from his injury 
. Fingers crossed! 
. I mean, who needs a healthy center when you've got a decent starting lineup already? 
The Hawks must be thrilled to have him play through his chronic health issues... not like he's been doing that since July last year or anything 
. On the bright side, it's always entertaining watching players deal with their own personal dramas on the court 
. The Celtics' chances of winning just got a bit more interesting 
.
. The Hawks need him right now, especially with these other guys out 
️. I hope he recovers soon and gets back on the court 
.
and what about the other guys getting injured too? minott out with an ankle sprain, and pritchard with some soreness? it's just not fair 
I mean, 17.1 points per game is no joke, and his shooting percentages are still on point 
. It's just frustrating for fans to see him struggle with injuries, especially since POTS has been a recurring issue since he joined the Hawks in July 
. I'm curious to see how Porzingis bounces back (no pun intended) from this Achilles injury 
, can u imagine? And now they have to face Boston without Minott and Pritchard too 
, that's like getting hit by a double whammy 
. I'm kinda rooting for the Hawks, but at the same time I feel bad for Porzingis - he's been dealing with this Achilles thingy for ages 
he's still putting up big numbers when he's healthy tho, 17.1 points per game ain't bad 
It's like he's got a superpower – "I can shoot 45.7% from the field, but my Achilles is like a nemesis!"