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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
DALLAS — The Boston Celtics have ruled out center Kristaps Porzingis for Game 3 of Wednesday’s NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
On Tuesday afternoon, he was diagnosed with a torn medial retinaculum in his left leg that allowed dislocation of the posterior tibial tendon — an injury the team said in a release that was “rare” and one that Celtics coach Joe Mazzula said was serious. .
Mazzula also said that Porzingis’ condition since the injury meant the team came on at 3:27 of the third quarter in Game 2 to put any pressure on Porzingis, not the medical team. His hands.
Mazzula said before Game 3 that Porzigis will continue to move forward day by day. He said he did some tests with the medical team to see if Porzingis would be able to play, and after seeing what Porzingis was going through, it was determined that Porzingis would not be able to play and would not line up for Wednesday’s game.
Porzingis was seen walking around with a brace on his left leg and left ankle on Tuesday and Wednesday, and at all times was unimpaired. But Boston put it away for about an hour and 45 minutes before tipoff Wednesday, leaving the Celtics without their best rim protector and other best shooter as they try to take a 3-0 lead in the series.
The Celtics were plus-25 in the 44 minutes Boston had Porzingis on the court in the first two games of the series, and he was even on the bench in 52 minutes.
Al Horford remains in the starting lineup Wednesday and Boston could turn to Luke Cornett, Xavier Tillman or Oshae Brissett to fill Porzingis’ minutes off the bench.