Celtics Star Made Admirable Sacrifice to Play in NBA Finals
By Ryan Bunton
With the Boston Celtics taking the court at TD Garden with a chance to clinch Banner 18, a hobbled Kristaps Porzingis would not be denied - even by the C's own medical staff.
Appearing Wednesday on Pardon My Take, head coach Joe Mazzulla revealed that Porzingis had overruled the team's medical staff to play in Game 5. The newly-crowned NBA Champions sent millions of Celtics fans scrambling to WebMD after it was announced that he had suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The injury is considered incredibly rare, and Porzingis will reportedly require surgery with his recovery process expected to last a "few months".
Celtics News: Porzingis Played in Game 5 Despite Medical Team
BREAKING
— Savage (@SavageSports_) June 19, 2024
Per: @PardonMyTake
Joe Mazzulla says that Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis overrode the medical team and demanded to play in game 5.
He did not want to miss out on a chance to play for the title.
Legend. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vc5oA2DT6y
The first-year Celtic played 16 minutes and added 5 points in the series clincher.
Porzingis had missed the previous two rounds after suffering a calf strain in Game 4 of the C's first-round matchup with the Miami Heat before returning for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Players rarely come out of deep playoff runs unscathed, and Boston's title team is no different. Derrick White chipped a tooth in the clinching Game 5 but still smiled his way through the postgame ceremony. Even Mazzulla revealed that he had suffered a torn meniscus back in March.
The Celtics will board the Duck Boats for their championship parade on Friday in Boston.
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