The Boston Celtics might have suffered a significant blow in their hopes of retaining the NBA Championship. The team acquired center Kristaps Porzingis in the summer of 2023 to be the final piece that helps them climb toward a title. It worked instantly, as the Celtics won last year’s title with Porzingis making an impactful cameo in the Finals after being injured through the Playoffs.
After missing the last five games due to illness, Porzingis revealed on X that his return timeline is still unclear, as his viral illness has yet to be diagnosed.
“I have been dealing with some viral illness that we haven’t been able to fully identify yet. I am recovering and getting better. But still working my way back to full strength to help this team. Thanks for the support and I’m hoping for a healthy return soon. “
Porzingis has averaged 18.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 32 games this season. However, his health has been spotty once again, making it hard to gauge his impact. The Celtics have a middling 20-12 record this season when Kristaps plays and a 26-10 record when he’s sidelined.
Although Boston easily handled every team in the Eastern Conference during last year’s playoffs without Kristaps, that same might not be possible this season. They look like they’ve been unseated by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the best team in the East, with teams like the New York Knicks promising to be far more challenging this season than they were last year.
An undiagnosable viral illness is extremely worrying. Viruses can be as mild as a fever, but it could also lead to scarier illnesses if they refuse to subside. A viral fever lasts only a few days, but Porzingis has been unable to return to the court for over a week now.
Without Kristaps, the Celtics will rely either on Al Horford or Luke Kornet as their starting center, going with Kornet for tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz to try and match Walker Kessler. The team is more shorthanded than usual tonight, also resting Jayson Tatum for this game.
The Celtics medical staff will be working overtime to figure out what’s wrong with Porzingis and get him back on the court ASAP. A title push is within Boston’s grasp, provided their stars are healthy and able to contribute to become the first team since the 2018 Golden State Warriors to successfully defend their NBA Championship.
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