The Boston Celtics announced on Thursday that Kristaps Porziņģis underwent surgery to repair a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibialis tendon. This rare ankle injury, sustained during the NBA Finals, is expected to sideline the 28-year-old forward for 5-6 months.
Porziņģis sustained the injury during Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks following an awkward collision with Mavericks center Dereck Lively II while boxing out during a free throw. After the collision, Porziņģis was seen limping up the court and was subsequently pulled from the game. The team described the injury, which is distinct from the calf injury that kept him out of the previous two playoff rounds, as “rare.”
Due to the injury, Porziņģis missed Games 3 and 4 but returned in a limited role for Boston’s Game 5 clincher at home.
Following the series, Porziņģis stated he would require surgery for the injury. Celtics president Brad Stevens informed reporters on Tuesday that Porziņģis was consulting with doctors and was expected to undergo surgery “soon.”
While Stevens initially refrained from speculating on a recovery timeline, he acknowledged on Wednesday that Porziņģis would likely miss the start of the next season and potentially beyond.
The injury will also prevent Porziņģis from participating in the Paris Olympic qualifying tournament for Latvia, scheduled for July 2-7 in Riga, Latvia.
