Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis Ruled Out for Game 3 of NBA Finals Against Mavericks

Boston Celtics star Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks as he navigates a left posterior tibialis dislocation.

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots against Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — A significant storyline emerged on Tuesday regarding Kristaps Porzingis's injury status as the Boston Celtics enter Game 3 of the NBA Finals with a 2-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks. A left posterior tibialis dislocation was discovered for the Latvian star.

On Tuesday evening, the Celtics listed Porzingis as questionable to play due to this injury. With head coach Joe Mazzulla describing it as a "serious injury," natural questions were raised regarding Porzingis' potential status for Game 3. He was later ruled out before tipoff.

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots against Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Porzingis posed a significant problem for the Mavericks to begin this series, averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. His performance in Game 1, scoring 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter, helped build a 17-point advantage entering the second period, enabling Boston to manage the game to begin the series with a victory.

Dallas has had to navigate the rim protection Porzingis poses during this series thus far. While the Mavericks have still managed to be efficient in the restricted area, there have been situations when his shot-blocking or verticality has been challenging to counter. His ability to spread the floor offensively has made it challenging to guard in the half-court.

During the third quarter of Game 2, Porzingis was noticeably impacted after falling to the floor. Mazzulla sounded confident there was no concern given the focus was on his previous leg injury, but the injury was discovered and one that was described as being "rare" in the team's press release.

Without Porzingis available to play, the Celtics will likely rely more on Al Horford and may need to deploy Xavier Tillman or Luke Kornet. The medical staff will evaluate how he feels on a day-to-day basis.

Stick with MavericksGameday for more coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Finals.

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