BOSTON — Kristaps Porzingis struggled by means of sickness within the Celtics’ 91-90 loss to the Knicks, restricted to only 14 minutes off the bench two nights after he exited within the second quarter of Recreation 1.
“I’m simply not feeling my greatest — not feeling my greatest in any respect,” Porzingis mentioned after the Recreation 2 loss. “It simply kills me inside it’s occurring on this second.”
Joe Mazzulla shared at observe on Tuesday that Porzingis has been coping with linger signs from an sickness that saved him out of 11 video games in late February and early March.
“Since he got here again, he’s type of been coping with it — working by means of it, preventing by means of it, doing one of the best he can,” Mazzulla mentioned. “And I feel it was simply an excessive amount of for him in that recreation. He had been working by means of it since he’s gotten again, and he’s carried out an important job of being out there. It was simply laborious for him to proceed yesterday.”
And, whereas Porzingis was finally capable of go on Wednesday, his minutes and influence had been each severely restricted.
“What I’m tremendous appreciative about is the help that I’ve inside — additionally in all probability from the followers — however particularly right here, contained in the group, and having this robust second for me to not be capable of be with the blokes,” Porzingis mentioned. “It’s not no damage or nothing, however simply not feeling my greatest. It’s robust for me, truthfully, however who cares? No person feels sorry for us, sorry for me, and we have now to maintain going.”
Porzingis mentioned what he was at the moment experiencing was “in all probability” linked to the higher respiratory sickness he handled in late February.
“I’ve had ups and downs all through till this level,” Porzingis mentioned. “Simply had a giant crash. Now, my vitality, all the pieces hasn’t been good. However, who cares? I’ve to look ahead. It is going to get higher from this level on.”
Porzingis scored 8 factors on 3-5 capturing and grabbed 4 rebounds. It was simply the fifth time in his profession that he got here off the bench.
