Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 9th. 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.
Tag: kristaps porzingis
Three-team NBA trade sends Kristaps Porzingis to Celtics, Marcus Smart to Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, June 23 acquired guard Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics in a three-team trade also including the Washington Wizards.
As part of the deal, the Grizzlies traded guard Tyus Jones to the Wizards and traded the draft rights to guard Marcus Sasser (25th overall) and a future first round draft pick to the Celtics.
Washington traded center Kristaps Porzingis to Boston for forward Danilo Gallinari, center Mike Muscala and the draft rights to forward Julian Phillips (35th overall).
A nine-year NBA veteran, Smart (6-3, 220) has competed in 581 regular season games (360 starts) and has averaged 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.0 minutes since he was selected by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma State. The 29-year-old Texas native holds career playoff averages of 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.1 minutes in 108 games (73 starts), helping the Celtics make three trips to the conference finals and advance to the 2022 NBA Finals.
“Tyus, Danilo and Mike are talented players accustomed to winning,” said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins. “They bring professionalism, high basketball intelligence, and a team-first mentality. We are delighted they are Wizards.”
Jones, an eight-year NBA guard, is coming off a career season with Memphis, where he set career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (2.5) and assists (5.2) per game in 80 games played (22 starts). On the season, Jones dished 417 assists, the second-most for Memphis, to just 74 turnovers, giving him the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA last season at 5.63. He has appeared in 535 career games with Minnesota and Memphis and holds career averages of 6.8 points, 3.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Gallinari was drafted sixth overall by the New York Knicks in 2008 and has also played with Denver, the L.A. Clippers, Oklahoma City and Atlanta in his 13-year NBA career. He signed with the Celtics during the 2022 offseason before suffering a season-ending left ACL injury while playing for the Italian national team in a FIBA World Cup qualifier in August. Gallinari last appeared during the 2021-22 season with the Atlanta Hawks, where he averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 66 games. He holds career averages of 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds over 728 games while shooting .382 from three-point range.
Muscala is a 10-year NBA veteran that has played for Atlanta, Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City and Boston. He holds career averages of 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting .457 from the field and .379 from three-point range. Muscala was traded from Oklahoma City to Boston at the 2023 trade deadline and played 20 games for the Celtics to close the season, shooting .472 from the field and .385 from beyond the arc in 16.2 minutes per game.
Porzingis, who was originally acquired by Washington at the 2022 trade deadline from the Dallas Mavericks, averaged 22.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in 82 total games with the Wizards.
“Kristaps is a true professional and an exceptionally talented player who established a lasting reputation during his time with the organization,” said Dawkins. “We thank him for his meaningful contributions and we wish him great success in Boston.”
On the Celtics and Kristaps Porzingis
Via Boston.com:
The Celtics are reportedly adding another top talent to their frontcourt next to Jayson Tatum.
According to ESPN and the Boston Globe, the Celtics are finalizing a deal and acquiring forward Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a three-team swap also featuring the Memphis Grizzlies.
As part of the reported deal, longtime Celtics guard Marcus Smart will be traded to Memphis, with the Grizzlies’ Tyus Jones and Boston’s Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala heading to Washington. Boston also nets two first-round picks with the move.
Porzingis is already an intriguing addition given his size (7-feet-3-inches) and unique skillset, but there are also some question marks surrounding Boston’s new trade pickup.
Three-team trade will reportedly send Kristaps Porzingis to Celtics, Marcus Smart to Grizzlies
Via ESPN.com:
The Washington Wizards are completing a three-way deal with the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies that will send Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and Tyus Jones to the Wizards, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Grizzlies are sending the No. 25 pick on Thursday night and a 2024 first-round pick to the Celtics, sources told Wojnarowski.
The Celtics are sending the 35th pick on Thursday to the Wizards in the deal, sources told Wojnarowski.
Bradley Beal returns, but Wizards lose 10th straight game
The good news is, Bradley Beal is back in action for the Washington Wizards. The bad news is, his return couldn’t prevent the team from losing their 10th game in a row. Via the Washington Post:
Sunday’s game ended with drama appropriate of a Hollywood script, but the Lakers emerged as the heroes. They prevailed, 119-117, to hand Washington its 10th straight loss, making it 41 days since the Wizards have won on the road.
A back-and-forth thriller in the fourth quarter came down to one scrambled possession.
James had the ball just inside the half-court line when Deni Avdija and Kuzma trapped him in a double team, forcing a turnover out of James that he ended up sending off Kuzma’s leg. A scramble for the ball ended up with James recovering and getting the ball to former Wizard Thomas Bryant for a smooth, go-ahead dunk with less than eight seconds to play. Kuzma missed a desperation three-pointer on the other end to end it.
“I felt like they were not at our level,” a visibly agitated Kristaps Porzingis said, trying to find his words. “We just lost the game. Obviously LeBron did his thing and played well, but — some mental mistakes from us. I don’t know what to say. It’s tough, it’s tough, it’s tough. But, yeah, we’re going to get out of it.
“If [Kuzma’s three-pointer] went in, it would have been a completely different movie. Nobody wants to be in this position, but we’re going to have to find a way out, to dig our way out of this.”
The Wizards are 11-20 this season, which ties them with the Orlando Magic for the 12th best record in the Eastern conference.
Yes, Kristaps Porzingis says he misses NYC
Generally, every NBA player, when asked, usually says yes, he misses some aspect of a former team he used to play for. Sometimes the team itself. Other times the arena. And of course, usually the city, and the fans. On that front, here’s Mavericks forward-center Kristaps Porzingis, via the New York Post:
Kristaps Porzingis’ return to the Garden on Friday won’t be as viciously loud as it was in 2019 with only 10-percent capacity allowed during this pandemic season.
But the 2,000 fans permitted inside when the Mavericks visit the Knicks should be vocal. And judging by last season and social media, the 7-3 Latvian is still viewed a villain and undoubtedly will receive more jeers than cheers.
Ironically, Porzingis, traded from the Knicks 26 months ago, says he’s greeted differently on the streets of Manhattan when he visits, though he gave up his Midtown apartment.
Porzingis says he, in some ways, misses being a Knick.
“I do,” Porzingis said. “I miss the city. I miss this place. A lot of great memories. Every time I come back, it’s special. A lot of people here still recognize me and show me love and support. It’s always good to come back.”
The Mavs are 25-21 this season, which is the 7th best record in the Western conference.
Porzingis is averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.5 minutes per game.
Nets win streak ends with loss to Mavs
With two of the Nets big three out, the Nets on Friday fell to a Mavericks squad that recently welcomed Kristaps Porzingis back to action. Via the NY Post:
The NBA’s longest winning streak ended Saturday with a thud, the sound of the red-hot Nets crashing back down from Cloud 9.
The Nets were undersized and undermanned, playing without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. But they aren’t using any of that an alibi for getting thrashed, 115-98, by Dallas at Barclays Center.
“No, this is a no-excuse team. If you’re on the floor, you’re going to play as hard as you can. They just got the best of us, and they got the win. That’s all it really was,” said Jeff Green, forced out of the game as well. “It’s not about us running out of gas or anything. We just didn’t come ready to play and they won.”
Not only did Irving’s scratch to rest his surgically repaired right shoulder pare the Big 3 down to a Big 1 in James Harden, the Nets also saw Tyler Johnson ruled out just before tipoff with a migraine and Green’s own shoulder injury removed him with 3:17 left in the third.
And the NY Daily News:
On one end of the floor, Luka Doncic spins off his man, drives down the lane and euro-steps around James Harden for the easy basket. On the other, Harden lulls his man to sleep, one flurry of crossovers after another, before stepping back for a contested three that borders on equal parts un-guardable and flat-out unfair.
Watching Doncic and Harden go toe-to-toe at Barclays Center on Saturday was like the viral meme of two Spidermen pointing at one another. Doncic finished with 27 points, seven assists and the victory, while Harden recorded 29 points and six assists in a superstar showdown that substantiated the similarities between the two offensive masterminds.
“Both of these guys are great one-on-one players,” Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said. “They’re great passers. They can both play the team movement game very well. Harden has been in a situation the last few years where the offense has really revolved around him, and our team it does around Luka similarly, but our style is a little bit different than Houston and Brooklyn, but both of these guys are generational type players. There’s no question about it, and that’s another thing that makes a game like this very compelling.”
In the Mavs win, supporting Doncic’s effort was Porzingis with 18 points, four rebounds, three blocks in 26 minutes, Tim Hardaway Jr. scoring 13 off the bench, Dorian Finney-Smith with 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals, and Josh Richardson with 11 points.
Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis undergoes knee surgery
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that Kristaps Porzingis underwent surgery to address a lateral meniscus injury of his right knee. Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 1 of the Mavericks’ opening-round series against the L.A. Clippers on Aug. 17.
Porzingis will begin rehab immediately and there is no timetable set at this time.
Injuries are now a concern for Porzingis, who is signed to a huge contract through the 2023-24 season. He reportedly has a player option for that last season.
Per ESPN.com, “Porzingis sat out a season and a half after tearing the ACL in his left knee in February 2018 in what ended up being his final game for the New York Knicks.”
He’s a huge part of what was the best offense in the NBA last season. Young superstar Luka Doncic led the Mavs in scoring at 28.8 points per game, Porzingis was second at 20.4 PPG, and guard Tim Hardaway Jr. was third with 15.8 PPG.
Mavericks news: Kristaps Porzingis diagnosed with knee injury
Dallas Mavericks forward-center Kristaps Porzingis has been receiving treatment for a lateral meniscus tear of his right knee and further treatment options are being explored at this time. Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Porzingis has not been medically cleared to play for the remainder of the Mavericks’ first-round series against the L.A. Clippers, and will not be available.
In three first-round games (all starts) against the Clippers, Porzingis averaged 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per game while shooting 52.5 percent (21-40 FGs) from the field, 52.9 percent (9-17 3FGs) from beyond the arc and 87 percent (20-23 FTs) from the foul line.
The Clippers have a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 has been rescheduled for Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Clippers beat Mavericks 130-122, take 2-1 playoff series lead
On Friday, the Clippers beat the Mavericks 130-122 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Below are Mavs team notes on the loss:
Luka Doncic recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, making him the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double in the playoffs.
Doncic (21 years, 175 days) becomes the third-youngest player ever to record a triple-double in the playoffs (Magic Johnson, LeBron James). The sophomore guard left the game with a left ankle sprain midway through the fourth quarter.
Kristaps Porzingis finished tonight’s game with 34 points and 13 rebounds. Porzingis becomes the first player to record 30+ points and 10+ rebounds for Dallas in a playoff game since Dirk Nowitzki (34p-11r) in Game 3 of the 2011 NBA Finals.
Seth Curry came off the bench and scored a playoff career-high 22 points to go with 3 assists. Curry shot 9-11 from the floor and a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc. Curry’s previous high was 16, a mark he hit twice in the 2019 playoffs with Portland.
Tim Hardaway Jr. also scored a playoff career-high 22 points to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Hardaway Jr.’s previous high was 19 points, set with Atlanta (at Washington, 4/19/17).
Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, all of which were career playoff highs.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 37 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists tonight. The veteran is 3rd in the Playoffs thus far with 33.3 points per game, trailing only Utah’s Donovan Mitchell (35.7) and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic (33.5).
The Clippers saw seven players score in double figures tonight. Joining Leonard was Landry Shamet (18), Ivica Zubac (15), Marcus Morris Sr. (14), Montrezl Harrell (13), Paul George (11) and Lou Williams (10).