Kristaps Porzingis officially available for Game 4 of NBA Finals
Kristaps Porziņģis clearly wants to be on the court for a potential closeout game in the NBA Finals.
(UPDATE: The Celtics officially announced that Porzingis is “available” for Game 4 of the NBA Finals. We’ll see how much he actually plays.)
The Boston Celtics big man continues to work his way through a complicated injury in the area of his left foot, as the team gets ready to go for the sweep in Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Top NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said before Game 3 that there’s “real doubt” about Porzingis’ availability for the rest of the series, but it sure sounds like Boston’s top center option is going to make a real push to play Game 4.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla continues to stress that Porzingis’ health is being placed above all other factors, as badly as he might want to take the floor one more time.
“Kristaps has gotten better from yesterday to today. He’s fighting like hell to play,” Mazzulla said after practice on Thursday. “But it’s going to be up to us to protect him and to make sure that it’s in the best interest for him as a player and as a person. Going into what’s best for a player and a person has nothing to do with where we’re at from a basketball standpoint.”
![2024 NBA Finals - Game One](https://985thesportshub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/88/2024/06/GettyImages-2156430452_1717760625_.jpg?w=1024)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 06: Kristaps Porzingis #8 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks in Game One of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 06, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
According to Brian Robb at MassLive, Porzingis was present for the team’s morning shootaround Friday, and Mazzulla said after practice that he’ll test the injury before the game then the Celtics’ medical team will make a final decision.
Porzingis, frankly, may want to put the game of basketball above his own health, considering the C’s have a chance to close out the Mavs and hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy as NBA champions in Dallas on Friday night. It would certainly be a bummer for Porzingis if he’s unable to contribute to the clinching win.
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Porzingis did come up big in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, scoring 20 points in 21 minutes while delivering lockdown rim protection at the defensive end. So, even if he’s unable to play in Game 4 and beyond, his injury during the series wouldn’t be a total loss.
The Celtics and Mavericks tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.