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Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis Will Undergo Leg Surgery, Miss Paris Olympics
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis will undergo leg surgery "in the coming days" and will miss the 2024 Paris Olympics, the team announced in a post onto its account on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
"Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2 of the NBA Finals," the team wrote. "Surgery will be performed in the coming days and
further updates will be provided when available."
Porzingis suffered the rare left leg injury during Game 2 of the NBA Finals when he collided with Dallas Mavericks big man Dereck Lively II under the basket. He had also suffered an unrelated calf injury during the Celtics' first round series victory over the Miami Heat, which forced him to miss 10 postseason games.
According to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, Porzingis overruled the team's medical staff to play in the championship-clinching Game 5. Porzingis in June joined the Latvian National team's roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
The Celtics in a news release said that Porzingis had hoped to delay the surgery until after the Olympics, but that the injury would not allow him to do so.
"This injury always requires surgical repair," the team said. "Porzingis had hoped to delay surgery until after both the NBA Finals and Latvia's Olympics campaign, but the injury doesn't allow for consistent play at the level required for Olympic competition."
The Celtics acquired Porzingis in a three-team deal this past June, and the 28-year-old was a difference-maker in his first season in Boston, posting averages of 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 37.5 percent from the three-point line in 57 games played. He helped Boston win a league-high 64 games and, despite his lengthy absence in the playoffs, its first NBA title since 2008.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens declined to provide a timeline of recovery for Porzingis post-surgery.
Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.