Inside The Celtics

The Latest on Kristaps Porzingis' Status for Celtics-Mavericks Game

A day before facing his former team, Kristaps Porzingis registered 32 points and five blocks, both game-highs, in Sunday's Celtics win over the Rockets.

Bobby Krivitsky

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

On Sunday night at the Toyota Center, the Boston Celtics bounced back from Friday's 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets, their first home defeat this season after starting 20-0 at TD Garden, a new franchise record.

Boston did so by earning a 116-107 victory vs. the Houston Rockets to sweep the two's regular-season series. The Celtics, who already sat atop the NBA standings, improved to 33-10. They're also now 9-1 after a loss.

With Ime Udoka instructing his defense to load up against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to limit their impact as scorers, Kristaps Porzingis registered a game-high 32 points, punishing the hosts from inside and beyond the arc.

The seven-foot-three center also swatted five shots, easily the most in the matchup, and grabbed six rebounds.

But after logging 33 minutes on Sunday, the Latvian native will not suit up for the second half of Boston's back-to-back. The visitors have ruled him out for Monday's contest against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, because of right knee inflammation.

It helps that Al Horford, who sat out the win in Houston, will return to the lineup. The same goes for Jrue Holiday, who was inactive on Sunday due to a right elbow sprain.

Sunday's matchup against the Mavericks will tip off at 8:30 p.m. EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game before, during, and afterward. Follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Update: Per the Celtics, Oshae Brissett is also inactive for Monday's tilt vs. the Mavericks due to a lower back strain. The former Syracuse star produced six points, three assists, and a block off the bench in Sunday's win over the Rockets.

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown's 10-Assist Triple-Double Exemplifies His Playmaking Growth: 'Keep Making the Right Play'

JD Davison Shares Message to Jordan Walsh Before Rookie's NBA Debut

Celtics Finding Joy in Basketball and Each Other's Company: 'We've Been Blessed'

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

Ime Udoka Assesses Tatum and Brown's Growth Since Coaching Them: 'A Lot of Potential That I Haven't Tapped Into'

Jrue Holiday Responds to Celtics Saying He's Sacrificing Most: 'Not Mad at My Situation'

Brad Stevens Shares What Celtics Are Looking to Add and How He Hopes to Do So

Derrick White Opens Up About Journey from Uncertainty He Belonged in the NBA to an All-Star Caliber Guard

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'

Published
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.

Home/News