76ers Rival Report: Wizards Lose Star Big Man to Injury

Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss time.

Just as the Washington Wizards got Bradley Beal back into the fold, the team will miss another one of their standouts, as Kristaps Porzingis recently suffered a setback of his own.

While taking on the Orlando Magic on Saturday night, Porzingis went out with an ankle injury. After wrapping up his 23-minute performance at home, Porzingis was diagnosed with a sprained left ankle. According to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, Porzingis is now considered week-to-week due to his injury.

Kristaps Porzingis is now considered week-to-week with his sprained left ankle, the Wizards say. That suggests he will miss at least 3+ games.

— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) January 23, 2023

In 41 games this season, Porzingis has averaged 22 points while spending roughly 33 minutes on the court per game. He’s knocked down 35 percent of his threes and averages seven shots from the charity stripe, where he’s connected on 83 percent of his attempts.

When on the court this season, Porzingis is a plus-seven in points scored per 100 possessions played, according to Cleaning the Glass.

Aside from scoring, Porzingis also averages nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal this season.

Clearly, Washington is a better team when Porzingis plays. Therefore, his absence will be notable for a struggling Wizards team. 

While Porzingis will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis, he is expected to miss at least three games for the Wizards. Their next three opponents will be the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and New Orleans Pelicans. 

When the Wizards prepare to take on the San Antonio Spurs on the road next Monday, Porzingis might be in play to make his return, depending on how his recovery goes over the next week. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.