Golden State Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis Reveals the Truth Behind His Premature Exit Vs. Detroit Pistons 1 Mar 20, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) shot is blocked while driving to the basket against Golden State Warriors defenders Draymond Green (left) and Kristaps Porzingis (7) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Golden State Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis Reveals the Truth Behind His Premature Exit Vs. Detroit Pistons

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 8:27 AM ET

Kristaps Porzingis played only 11 minutes in the Golden State Warriors’ 115-101 road defeat against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, finishing with five points, three rebounds, and two blocks on 1-for-5 shooting from the field.

During his postgame interview, the Golden State Warriors center shared that he sustained a back issue after taking a push from Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren on an errant pass in the middle of the second period. However, he doesn’t expect to be out for too long.

“I kind of started feeling it from the first quarter, started spasming up a bit,” Porzingis told ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “I tried to move and — while I was warm, I was okay, but in that one play I kind of felt a little spasm.”

“Feeling alright, a little tight now. Once I cooled down it tightened up even more, but I’ll get it going soon,” he added on his availability for their next match. “Probably. Yeah, we’ll see. Maybe it loosens up tomorrow, who knows? Right now it’s pretty stiff.”

Golden State Warriors News: Steve Kerr discusses Kristaps Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton’s availability vs. Atlanta Hawks

The Golden State Warriors will play the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday in the second game of their back-to-back set, and head coach Steve Kerr addressed the status of De’Anthony Melton and Kristaps Porzingis during yesterday’s pregame press conference.

“Rick (Celebrini) is meeting up in Atlanta. Both guys are gonna play tonight, and we’ll see how they’re feeling tomorrow. Then Rick will make that call,” Kerr told reporters.

Melton was one of the Golden State Warriors’ top performers against the Detroit Pistons, contributing 14 points and four rebounds on 5-for-14 shooting from the field in 23 minutes of action. The team’s six-game road trip will conclude against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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