When the Dallas Mavericks stole Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks the only concern were his legs.
A man who is 7-foot-3 simply has greater risk for injury; that's a lot of human being to stay healthy. When he added a few pounds of muscle in the offseason it added to his game, and his potential vulnerability.
Porzingis was ruled out of the Dallas Mavericks' first round playoff series' Game 5 against the L.A. Clippers on Tuesday. It's the second consecutive game in the series he missed with the injury.
Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said on Wed., Aug, 26 that he does not expect Porzingis to be able to play on Thursday in Game 6.
The Mavs trail the series, 3-2.
Carlisle said KP wants to play, and that this is not some precautionary measure.
"He's a tough guy," Carlisle said.
The area of concern remains his sore right knee. This is not the knee in which he suffered the torn ACL while as a member of the Knicks on Feb. 6, 2018.
He said after playing in Game 2 he was surprised he was able to play in that win over the Clippers.
He's obviously hurt. Or hurting.
The Mavs would never admit it, but this is not an encouraging development not necessarily as it relates to this series, but the future of the franchise.
The Mavs are built on the design that Porzingis is their second-best player behind Luka Doncic. Together, they have been better than hoped, and a matchup from hell for opponents.
In the three playoff games he's played, Porzingis has averaged 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. The Clippers can't stop him.
After the Mavericks made Porzingis the highest paid player in franchise history last summer with a five-year, $158 million contract, he averaged 20.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game during his first regular season with the team.
He is their best rim protector, and is the player the Mavs hoped for when they acquired him from the Knicks.
But the concern is the concern: He's 25, has had major surgery on one knee, and the other one is bothering him enough to the point he can't play in playoff games.
Missing Game 4 and 5 is not an example of a spoiled NBA player ducking a game. The reason KP wanted out of New York was to win, and play in the postseason.
During the regular season, he appeared in 57 games. He had to miss games for soreness in his right knee, which the team expected considering the injury he was returning from, and the amount of time he missed to come back.
When the Mavs returned to play during the NBA's re-start in the Orlando Bubble, he specifically mentioned the time away during the COVID shutdown was helpful because it allowed him to heal. He had some unknown ailments.
"Something happened in the first (playoff) game," Porzingis said after Game 2. "I felt it. I had trouble moving around and stuff. For me to be able to play (in Game 2) was a surprise to me. It was a big surprise, honestly."
The Mavs must have some concern whether he can hold up for 70 games during an 82-game regular season, plus the playoffs.
The development of Doncic means Porzingis does not have to carry the Mavs. But Doncic needs Porzingis to make the Mavs a viable threat in the West.
The Mavs have some decent pieces to complement Doncic, such as Seth Curry and Tim Hardaway Jr. And none of them are as good as Porzingis.
He's a center who can run the floor, make 3-pointers, and block shots.
You can find a lot of good 2-guards. You can find a forward easily enough. But finding a guy with Porzingis' range of attributes and skills?
There a reason they call him the Unicorn.
Whatever else the Dallas Mavericks achieve in the Disney Bubble is a gift. The goal was the playoffs, which they made. They have played with the Clippers, and won one of the most exciting games in the history of their franchise.
Even if they don't win another playoff game, the season is a success.
They have the player to win an NBA title, but there should be concern about his running mate.
