Inside The Celtics

Kristaps Porzingis Provides Update on Injured Back After Celtics Win vs. Heat

Kristaps Porzingis finished with 25 points but suffered a lower back contusion in the Celtics' Super Bowl Sunday victory over the Heat.

Bobby Krivitsky

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
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The Boston Celtics earned a 110-106 Super Bowl Sunday win over the Miami Heat in a rivalry clash at the Kaseya Center.

While this Eastern Conference Finals rematch was far more competitive than their previous meeting, a 143-110 dismantling by Boston, it did see Kristaps Porzingis dominate before having C's fans holding their breath again.

The seven-foot-three center registered 19 points in the Celtics' last visit to Miami but exited early after landing on Bam Adebayo's foot and rolling his left ankle. He expressed after that victory that he could've returned to the contest but stayed on the sideline due to the lopsided score.

On Sunday, he once again punished switches and everything Erik Spoelstra threw at him and spread the hosts' zone defense thin, producing points for him and his teammates. The Latvian native finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.

But in the third quarter, the same frame when he rolled his ankle the last time he was in this building, in another situation involving Adebayo, who again happened to be involved but did nothing malicious, Porzingis suffered a lower back contusion, per a team-issued update.

He returned for the final 12 minutes, though, helping the Celtics prevail in a heated matchup, including by making a crucial play in the closing stretch, tapping a Jaylen Brown missed three, keeping a possession alive, leading to two free throws for Jayson Tatum, putting the visitors ahead 110-104 with 14.1 seconds left.

After the win, the former All-Star provided a positive update on the health front, conveying, "My back is fine. I got a little bit (of a) bump from Bam on a rebound, (but) nothing serious. (I) went to the back (to) make sure it was good, warmed up again, and all good."

As captured by CLNS Media, Porzingis also addressed Jaylen Brown's fourth-quarter altercation with Duncan Robinson, in which the two got tangled up, and the Marietta, Georgia native received a technical for forcefully resolving the situation.

It was a moment that brought the crowd at the Kaseya Center to life and amplified the intensity for the game's remainder.

"I love it," stated Porzingis. "I love it. I think we have to take those moments -- those emotional moments, in a good way. Make us fired up but controlled. We have to stay controlled. Because that's their game; they need us to react to something. So, as JB said, we own our space, but we don't have to react back. They have to do that to mix up the game (and) to make something happen. And I think we have to be smart in those situations but show that we're right there."

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown on Altercation with Duncan Robinson: 'I Bet You He Won't Do It Again'

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Survive Heated Rivalry Clash in Miami

Brad Stevens Discusses Celtics' Plan for Final Roster Spot

Brad Stevens Sheds Light on Celtics' Motivations for Xavier Tillman Trade

Celtics Swing Savvy Deal with 76ers for Jaden Springer

Marcus Smart Shares How Boston Shaped Him, His Message to Celtics Fans

Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'

Fixated on Winning, Jayson Tatum Again Proves He's Not 'Bored Making the Right Play Over and Over'

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'

Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines 'Celtics Basketball'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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