The summer won't be all fun and games for Kristaps Porzingis after the Celtics star won his first NBA championship.
Boston defeated Dallas in the Finals thanks in part to gutsy efforts from Porzingis. After missing nearly all of the Eastern Conference playoffs due to a calf issue, Porzingis sustained a rare ankle injury in Game 2 against Dallas that prevented him from playing in Games 3 and 4.
The Celtics medical team didn't want the 28-year-old to play in Game 5 either, but Porzingis was hell-bent on appearing in the championship clincher. A little over a week after the talented big man played 16 minutes in the deciding contest, Boston put out an update on Porzingis' status.
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"Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 9," the press release read. "This injury always requires surgical repair. Porzingis had hoped to delay surgery until after both the NBA Finals and Latvia's Olympic campaign, but the injury doesn't allow for consistent play at the level required for Olympic competition. Surgery will be performed in the coming days, and further updates will be provided when available."
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Porzingis acknowledged the necessary surgery in the final stage of the Finals. The veteran forward also indicated it likely will take "a few months" to recover from the procedure and return to the basketball court.
But given the state of the Celtics' roster for the 2024-25 campaign, Porzingis likely won't feel any pressure to rush back into the swing of things. Boston will be the team to beat next season, and Porzingis will make the defending champs an even tougher out whenever he's ready to play again.
Featured image via Peter Casey/USA TODAY Sports Images
