Hawks’ Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) dominated out vs. Celtics

Porzingis performed two seasons and received a championship in Boston.

Kristaps Porzingis has but to play towards the Celtics since being traded to the Atlanta Hawks final summer time. AP Photograph/Colin Hubbard

Kristaps Porzingis should wait to compete towards his former group.

Porzingis, who performed for the Celtics from 2023-25, will likely be sidelined attributable to left Achilles tendinitis when Boston visits the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The 7-foot-2 middle was initially questionable to play, however was downgraded to out on Friday.

The brand new-look Hawks, who lately dealt level guard Trae Younger to the Washington Wizards, traded for Porzingis from the Celtics in what was a wage dump transfer for Boston final July.

Since becoming a member of Atlanta, Porzingis has struggled to remain wholesome. The 30-year-old has missed 26 video games out of the Hawks’ 43 as he offers together with his POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) prognosis and his lingering calf harm; the latter originated in 2023 whereas he was on the Celtics and was exacerbated within the playoffs in April 2024.

Porzingis missed practically each sport in December, excluding two, as he handled an sickness he mentioned was unrelated to POTS. The ten-year NBA veteran has additionally missed a number of video games in January attributable to his Achilles harm.

Porzingis lately spoke about his lack of ability to remain wholesome, insisting that he’ll finally be wholesome sufficient to play recurrently once more.

“I simply wasn’t feeling too good, truthfully. Simply not being wholesome wholesome, you recognize?” he mentioned final month (through CBS Sports activities). “However I wouldn’t say it’s the identical stuff from final season, in order that’s good. I believe I sort of put that behind me even this summer time taking part in for the nationwide group, however anyway, simply catching no matter it’s irritating, you recognize? I wish to be wholesome. And I will likely be wholesome.”

Porzingis struggled together with his justifiable share of accidents throughout his two-season Celtics tenure, which is clearly persevering with into his stint with the Hawks. Nonetheless, he stays a productive participant on the court docket when he’s wholesome. Porzingis is averaging 17.1 factors per sport this season; he averaged 19.5 in his last season in Boston. He’s additionally capturing 45.7 p.c from the sector and 36.0 p.c from past the arc, each of that are down only a tad from final season.

Porzingis may have two extra possibilities to play towards the Celtics for the primary time as a Hawk this season. Atlanta will go to Boston two instances in 2026 (Jan. 28 and March 27), and the Celtics will journey to play the Hawks once more on March 30.

However first, on Saturday, Boston will likely be with out ahead Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) and might be with out guard Payton Pritchard (left ankle soreness), who’s listed as uncertain.