Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla's Wild Quote About Kristaps Porzingis in Game 2 Will Have Fans in Stitches 6 Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis needed five stitches after taking a vicious elbow that opened up a bloody gash on his forehead. Porzingis said he used the moment to fire up the Celtics crowd.Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla Explains How Kristaps Porzingis’ Mysterious Illness Took a Scary Turn in Game 5

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated May 15, 2025 9:06 AM ET

Kristaps Porzingis continues to have a bad series against the New York Knicks . The Boston Celtics center only played 12 minutes in Game 5 last night, recording only one point, one rebound, and one block.

During the postgame press conference, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla explained why Porzingis didn’t play much yesterday.

“He couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla said about Porzingis via Brian Robb of Mass Live. “He was available if absolutely necessary. So that was just a decision between me and him. He was having difficulties breathing, but he wanted to be out there, and if we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him. But you’ve seen a lot of that this year.

Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla Explains How Kristaps Porzingis' Mysterious Illness Took a Scary Turn in Game 5 2 Apr 29, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) reacts to a foul call while playing the Miami Heat during the first quarter of game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Laughlin-USA TODAY Sports

“Changing the lineup at halftime is something that we’ve done a lot this year because it just adds a different dimension and can change some sub patterns throughout the game. So it’s a credit to the guys just buying into what gives us the best chance to win each and every night, and I know KP will be ready for us,” he added.

Boston Celtics won Game 5 via a balanced effort

The Boston Celtics needed all hands on deck since Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles in Game 4, and they dedicated Game 5 to their fallen star. Derrick White led all scorers with 34 points. Jaylen Brown flirted with a triple-double with 26 points, eight rebounds, and 12 assists. Payton Pritchard, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet added 17, 14, 12, and 10 points.

Boston Celtics Could Miss 2 Important Players in Game 3 Vs. Orlando Magic, Per Latest Injury Report 3 Mar 8, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) takes a free throw against the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

“The air kind of left the room after hearing the news,” Brown said via ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “We didn’t want to go out like that. We didn’t want to make no excuses. We didn’t want to come out and give up or just turn the season into what everybody else probably would expect.”

“We just said to the guys, said to each other, ‘Let’s come out, keep an open mind,'” he continued. “Just come out, play basketball … and guard your a** off.”