DALLAS — Kristaps Porzingis is back in a familiar but unsettling situation: injury.
The Celtics center, who helped swing the series in Boston’s favor with a commanding early win in Game 1, has been diagnosed with ailments that run through most of the alphabet.
Dislocation of the left posterior tibial muscle due to medial retinaculum tear.
You can say this five times (or just once) quickly.
The good news for Porzingis and Boston is that the ankle injury doesn’t appear to be too serious. Coach Joe Mazzulla described it as a “serious injury,” but ESPN reported that “there is no indication that Porzingis will miss Game 3 on Wednesday.”
The 28-year-old said he was committed to playing on a conditional basis.
“Unless they tell me I can’t play, there’s nothing to stop me. [by the doctors]”That’s the only reason I’m not there,” said Porzingis, who tore a tendon after colliding with Dallas center Derek Lively II in Game 2.
“I [optimistic]I’ll do my best to be there [Wednesday]”Yes, that’s right.”
Mazzulla, meanwhile, remained cryptic: “This is the NBA Finals. Nothing will be revealed until it’s officially necessary.”
“it is [Porzingis’] “He’s going to work his butt off and be the best he can be and that’s his job. We’re not going to let him settle,” the Celtics coach said.
“That’s it.”
What are the chances that Porzingis will play in Game 3?
“I have no idea,” Mazzulla replied.
That means it’s back to how it was before Game 1, waiting to see if Porzingis is available and effective. The difference this time is that there’s a lot more at stake for the opposing Mavericks, as a loss would mean their season is over.
We all know that when an NBA team is down 3-0 in the playoffs, their success rate drops to zero, and no team has the kind of dependability that the Yankees-Red Sox had in 2004. A loss on Wednesday would ensure the Mavericks, who were underdogs before the series began, finish in second place.
“It’s a must-win game for us,” said Mavericks guard Josh Green, who was in the right frame heading into Game 3. “We’ve got to be aggressive and get the lead.”
It’s clear that Porzingis will be a key player in Game 3. He’s the icing on Boston’s layered, impressive cake. But the Celtics can still win without him. They’re too deep and talented from No. 1 through No. 5. To survive, the Mavericks will have to overcome their own problems.
Luka Doncic, for example, is also battling multiple ailments. Reports suggest he will be injected with painkillers before Game 3 — just like he was before Game 2. Kyrie Irving needs to step his game up about four notches after playing so badly in Boston. Not only was his shooting bad, but his decisions with the ball were also poor. Maybe the pressure of returning to TD Garden was too much for him. That would be the easiest fix for him heading into Game 3 in Dallas.
Irving acknowledged personal struggles — “I haven’t played up to my standards” — and said he was leaning on experience from 2016, when his Cavs overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Warriors.
“I know what it takes,” he said.
Still, Irving’s subsequent comments were predictably confusing. In one sentence, he referenced the incredible comeback in the context of the Mavs’ current situation. In the next, Irving sounded like he was acknowledging that the Mavs weren’t ready for that moment yet.
“It took a lot of determination to win in 2016. That team was different. We had time to fail together. We had time to overcome challenges together. We lost in 2015. [in the Finals]”In 2016 we had a lot of guys coming back and we won, so there was some internal motivation there. We knew who we were playing. [the Warriors]how well they played.
“If you look at the situation right now with a healthy perspective and a healthy eye, you feel like we’re a team with experience and we’re a team that can make mistakes at this level. Now we have an opportunity to respond.”
The reality for the Mavericks is they can either fight back with a win or start worrying about next season.
For Porzingis, it’s a familiar position trying to overcome an injury.
“I’ve been through a lot in my career and it’s obviously a tough time to come back.” [after a calf injury for Game 1] “It’s tough to have something happen so soon again,” Porzingis said. “It’s a really tough time right now.”
“But I’m in good health. I’m in good health. We’ll see how it goes.” [Wednesday]. “
