Latest on Porzingis’ calf injury entering IST quarterfinals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Kristaps Porzingis’ calf injury isn’t considered serious, but it’s significant enough to keep him out of the Boston Celtics’ quarterfinal game in the In-Season Tournament.
The Celtics announced Sunday they’ve ruled Porzingis out of Monday’s game against the Indiana Pacers due to the left calf strain he suffered on Nov. 24 against the Orlando Magic.
Porzingis sounded optimistic earlier in the week after an MRI revealed a low-level strain in his calf, but it appears Boston is still being cautious with its big man, who has missed the last three games. The Celtics will be off until at least Thursday after Monday’s game, giving Porzingis a few extra days to recover.
Boston advanced to the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals after storming back to win Group C on Tuesday. If the Celtics beat the Pacers on Monday in Indiana, they’ll fly to Las Vegas to face the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks in the IST semifinals on Thursday night. If the C’s lose, they’ll face the loser of Bucks-Knicks in a regular-season game Friday, with location TBD.
Porzingis traveled with the Celtics to Indiana on Sunday, so the hope is that he could return to action later this week — and perhaps help his team win the first-ever NBA Cup if they can take care of business Monday night.
Tip-off for Celtics-Pacers is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
