The Boston Celtics announced big man Kristaps Porzingis will miss Game 5 of the opening round of the 2024 NBA postseason against the Miami Heat Wednesday night. Porzingis left Game 4 with an apparent calf injury and did not return to action.
The team officially dubbed the injury a soleus strain, the severity of which is unknown at this time. The soleus is a muscle in the calf that helps support the work of the Achilles tendon. A strain here can be painful, but more importantly, can lead to more severe injury elsewhere in the body as the rest of the leg compensates. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is dealing with a similar injury as well.
How long Porzingis is sidelined depends on the nature of the strain and how conservative the team is willing to be. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Porzingis is expected to miss at least a few games. Boston will look to close out their series against the Heat at home on Wednesday before facing either the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavaliers in the next round of the postseason.
Celtics Lab 254: Boston wins Game 4 vs. Miami, but lose Kristaps Porzingis; what happens next? https://t.co/y8ch7mG6CF pic.twitter.com/05qycCZ0TS
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 30, 2024
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