Source: Maddie Meyer / Getty
—and now the Finals—may be coming to an end.
During the first two games of the Finals against the
Dallas Mavericks,
Kristaps Porzingis appeared to be their secret weapon, but now the rest of the team will be forced to step up. The 7-footer has been ruled out with a rare leg injury called the
torn medial retinaculum, allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon.
“Celtics Center Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg at 3:27 of the third quarter of Game 2,” reads the Celtic’s official statement. “The injury is unrelated to Porzingis’s prior right calf injury. After consultation with numerous specialists regarding this rare injury, his availability for upcoming games will be determined day-to-day.
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The official “day by day” portion may give Celtic fans hope that he could return in Game 3 or 4, but head coach Joe Mazulla painted a different picture, making the injury appear a lot more serious. Most players would be willing to play through the pain, especially in the Finals, but Mazulla will only allow him to play if the medical staff clears him.
“It’s a serious injury. At the end of the day, the medical team is not going to put him in any bad situations. We’ve taken the decision to play out of his hands,” Mazulla told the press.
Since the injury is relatively unheard of in basketball, here’s a quick explanation: it boils down to Porzingis’ ankle.
The posterior tibialis tendon is located on the inner ankle and is made of a tissue cord connecting the calf muscle to bones in the foot. Porzingis’ tendon is dislocated, and since it’s not in the correct spot, he’s unable to flex the area, which he would need to run, dribble, and jump.
According to
NBC Boston, which spoke to sports medicine experts, all hope shouldn’t be lost on Porzingis rejoining the lineup as the Celtics chase their 18th championship. It depends on how much pain he’s in. But if it’s truly unbearable, it requires surgery and rehab.
Porzingis was seen walking around the arena in flip-flops without a limp, so only time will tell.
Social media is more concerned with the exhausting name of the injury. See the jokes below.
