Going into the Knicks’ second-round playoff sequence towards the Boston Celtics, one of many largest subplots was how Kristaps Porzingis would fare towards his former group.
Drafted No. 4 general by the Knicks in 2015, Porzingis was as soon as envisioned to be the franchise’s savior — solely to be standing in its method with the star-studded Celtics years later.
However the narrative modified after a mysterious sickness restricted Porzingis to solely 13 minutes in Recreation 1, then continued to forestall the 7-3 middle from dominating in his typical style within the subsequent video games, too.
“I’m not feeling my best at all,” Porzingis mentioned after Recreation 2, “but it just kills me inside that it’s happening in this moment.”
The lingering signs appeared to stem from an higher respiratory sickness that brought about Porzingis to overlook eight consecutive video games in February and March.
Porzingis was coping with “energy zaps” and “ebbs and flows” in stamina, ESPN reported earlier than Recreation 3, which prompted the 29-year-old to show IVs and immune boosters and to even change his sleep patterns.
“He felt that he had actually turned a corner right as the playoffs started in mid-April,” ESPN’s Shams Charania mentioned final week, “but in his own words, he had a crash right before Game 1 of this series.”
The sickness considerably diminished Porzingis’ availability and manufacturing towards the Knicks.
Coming into Recreation 6 at Madison Sq. Backyard on Friday evening, Porzingis was averaging 4.2 factors, 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 16.4 minutes per sport. He had not scored greater than eight factors or performed greater than 24 minutes in any sport.
It was a far cry from the common season, when Porzingis averaged 19.5 factors, 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per sport and began every of his 42 appearances.
He had been even higher towards the Knicks in his profession, averaging 21.7 factors, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per sport in 15 regular-season conferences — together with a 34-point eruption on April 8 through which he made eight 3-pointers in 39 minutes.
“Since he came back, he’s kind of been dealing with it on and off, working through it, fighting through it, doing the best that he can,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned after Recreation 1.
Porzingis didn’t play within the second half or additional time of the Knicks’ 108-105 win in Recreation 1 in Boston, then got here off of the bench in Video games 2 by means of 4 because the Celtics fell behind 3-1 within the best-of-seven sequence.
With out an introduction throughout the pregame festivities, Porzingis heard solely delicate boos from Knicks followers when he checked in for Video games 3 and 4 on the Backyard.
Porzingis returned to the beginning lineup in Recreation 5 after Jayson Tatum suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, however the Latvian star performed a series-low 12 minutes within the Celtics’ 127-102 win. He completed with one level on 0-of-3 taking pictures and once more did play within the second half.
“He couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla mentioned afterward. “He was available if absolutely necessary. That was a decision between me and him. He was having difficulties breathing, but he wanted to be out there.”
With Porzingis’ restricted availability, the Celtics leaned extra on 38-year-old Al Horford, who entered the beginning lineup in Recreation 2 and was averaging 8.6 factors and 32.0 minutes per sport going into Friday.
Fellow middle Luke Kornet — beforehand a teammate of Porzingis with the Knicks — gave Boston 10 factors, 9 rebounds and 7 blocks in 26 minutes off the bench in Recreation 5.
Porzingis endured three shedding seasons with the Knicks earlier than he suffered a left ACL tear in February of 2018. The Knicks traded him to the Dallas Mavericks the next February, and he additionally performed for the Washington Wizards earlier than the Celtics acquired him forward of final season.
A calf pressure, adopted by a tendon harm in his left leg, restricted Porzingis to seven video games throughout the Celtics’ championship run final summer season.
Porzingis was not on the harm report going into Recreation 6, clearing him to play with the Celtics’ season on the road.
“It’s tough for me, honestly, but who cares?” Porzingis mentioned after Recreation 2. “Nobody feels sorry for us, sorry for me, and we have to keep going.”
