Injured Celtics Star will Miss Many Games

The Boston Celtics' newest star big man, Kristaps Porzingis, has undeniably made a strong impression with his impressive start to the season, averaging just under 20 points per game. In fact, Porzingis' recent performance has significantly contributed to the Celtics reaching the knockout stages of the first-ever in-season tournament. However, following his injury on November 24th, the Latvian star has now missed his last three games, with more absences anticipated.

Porzingis Return

The recent injury isn't considered too severe, with many within the Celtics organization believing that he will return to action within the coming week. Despite this optimism, it has been announced that Porzingis will definitely miss tonight's Quarter-Final knockout game against the Indiana Pacers.

Porzingis suffered the strain on Nov. 24 and will miss his fourth straight game tonight. So far, no setbacks in his recovery and hope is that continues and allows for return this week. He's averaging 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds this season. https://t.co/FqHVSfXgA0— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 4, 2023

Knockout Game vs Pacers

With their first Knockout game of the in-season tournament happening tonight, Porzingis' injury couldn't have come at a worse time this early in the season. It's evident that at full health, this Celtics team could be among the best in the NBA, and facing the high-flying Pacers with a weakened squad might prove to be challenging.

Despite having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown available tonight, Porzingis' absence is significant not just for his offensive production but primarily for the lack of his rim protection. His team-high 1.7 blocks per game will certainly be missed against the Pacers, who are currently having an exceptional offensive season, averaging 128.8 points per game (highest in NBA history).