The Boston Celtics announced Tuesday that Kristaps Porzingis will undergo surgery to repair the leg injury he suffered in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
Porzingis’ specific injuries include a torn retinaculum (stabilizing tissue in the upper foot/ankle area) and a dislocated posterior tibialis (muscle of the lower leg in the ankle area), which are considered rare. According to the Celtics, the specific injuries “always” require surgical repair.
Porzingis had originally tried to postpone the surgery until after both the NBA finals and Latvia’s Olympic basketball campaigns had concluded. He was able to last until the end of the NBA Finals (where the Celtics defeated the Mavericks 4-1 to become NBA champions). He played in Games 1, 2 and 5, but injuries kept him out of the middle games. In the series.
According to USA Today NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt, Porzingis will not play for Latvia (his native country) in the Olympic qualifying tournament in early July. It is not known whether he will be available to play for Latvia in the actual Olympics, if Latvia is able to qualify.
The Celtics did not reveal when the surgery might take place, saying only that it “will be performed in the coming days.” They also have not released a timeline for his recovery. Although the Olympics are in question, Porzingis said after the NBA Finals that his recovery would only take a “few months,” meaning he will likely be ready for the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season.
