BOSTON (WHDH) - Celtics star Kristaps Porzingis has undergone a successful surgery to repair the leg injury he suffered during the NBA Finals, the Celtics announced Thursday.
He will now need between five and six months to recover, according to the team, meaning he will miss the beginning of the Celtics’ 2024-2025 season.
“Thanks for the support!” Porzingis said in a post on X late Thursday morning. “Everything went smooth. Now will take time to heal up and get ready to go again.”
Porzingis was previously sidelined by a calf injury during the first round of this year’s playoff run against the Miami Heat. He missed the Celtics next two series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers before returning to action in Game 1 of the finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
Just one game after his return, Porzingis was hurt again, this time in the third quarter of Game 2.
The Celtics said Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg. Team officials said his new injury was unrelated to the prior calf issue and listed his status as day-to-day.
Porzingis missed Game 3 and Game 4 of the finals. While he returned for Game 5, he only played for a total of 16 minutes, down from his regular season average of 29.6 minutes per game.
Porzingis shined in his first year with the Celtics this year, averaging 20.1 points per game.
Though his team missed him in his absence, players and coaches speaking before Game 3 against Dallas said they would need to step up.
“It’s his job to fight like hell to put himself in the best possible position to feel as good as he can,” said Boston coach Joe Mazzulla. “But we’re not going to let him compromise himself.”
“Him on the floor, that just helps elevate us to a different level,” said eventual NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. “But we’ve been priding ourselves on the next man up mentality.”
Porzingis received thunderous cheers in TD Garden when he returned to the court in Game 5 and celebrated with fans in last week’s rolling rally duck boat parade after the Celtics’ championship victory.
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