Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis (calf) ruled out for Game 5 vs. Heat
Boston center Kristaps Porzingis leaves Monday's Game 4 with right calf tightness.
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Boston center Kristaps Porzingis is out for Wednesday’s Game 5 (7:30 ET, TNT) of the their first-round series against the Miami Heat, the team announced Tuesday.
#NEBHInjuryReport for tomorrow vs. Miami:
Kristaps Porzingis (right soleus strain) – OUT
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 30, 2024
Porzingis left Game 4 in Miami on Monday night late in the first half with right calf tightness.
The play happened with about 2:35 left in the second quarter. Porzingis took a dribble as he tried to move to his left, then pulled up — without any visible contact on that play — and immediately motioned to the Boston bench. He was subbed out eight seconds later and went directly to the Celtics’ locker room, stopping along the way to pull the top of his jersey over his face.
Porzingis did not return in the second half. He had seven points and three rebounds in 13 1/2 first-half minutes for the Celtics. Boston went on to win 102-88, taking a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series over the Heat.
“I thought everybody just stepped it up,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
A couple of possessions before he left the game, Porzingis appeared to get his feet tangled with Miami guard Tyler Herro. Porzingis took a couple of awkward steps — favoring his left leg, it seemed — after that incident, limping a bit but remained in the game. He also was knocked to the floor with 2:57 left in the half, on a play where Boston’s Al Horford was called for an offensive foul while setting a screen.
The issue where Porzingis asked to come out happened on Boston’s next offensive possession.
Horford started the second half in Porzingis’ place. If Porzingis misses any time, Mazzulla said the Celtics will remain the Celtics.
“Nothing changes,” Mazzulla said. “Bringing the same mindset, intentionality, toughness, details to the next game regardless of who’s available. It doesn’t matter. There’s no difference between the regular season and the playoffs. And all year, we’ve had guys step in and play.”
Boston will look to close out the series in Game 5 on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
Porzingis missed seven games earlier this season with what the Celtics called left calf injuries, and he wears tape over the back of his left leg as a precaution. Porzingis also missed time this season with other issues — inflammation and contusions in his right knee, right hamstring problems, a sprained left ankle and back soreness.
He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in the regular season, appearing in 57 games. In the first three games of the Heat-Celtics series entering Monday, Porzingis averaged 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
