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Joe Mazzulla Says Celtics Have Figured Out Mysterious Kristaps Porzingis Illness

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Matt Levine | Last updated May 9, 2025 12:03 PM ET

The Boston Celtics find themselves in a tough spot as they head into Game 3 of their second-round playoff matchup with the New York Knicks. Boston finds itself down 0-2 in the series, having dropped both of the first two games at home.

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Entering Game 3, the Celtics understand that it's a must-win. However, the team has been dealing with some issues with star center Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis has been dealing with a mysterious illness, dating back to the regular season. The illness has been bothering him once again in the postseason, and it has impacted his ability on the court.

Ahead of Game 3, it seems that Boston does know what Porzingis is dealing with, and they are treating him well. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla provided a big update on the health of his star.

#Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla says they do know the illness Kristaps Porzingis is dealing with and it’s impacting his “fatigue and his breathing.”

He’s hoping two days off will help KP.

- @985TheSportsHub
— Kayla Burton (@Kay_Breezy22) May 9, 2025

This seems to be great news for the Celtics.

Porzingis has been impacting heavily on the court, playing in just 27 minutes through two games of this series. The star big man has only scored eight points between the two games, and Boston has clearly missed his production on the floor.

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For the Celtics, they need Porzingis to be healthy if they want a chance to repeat as NBA champions. His presence on the floor on both sides of the court is apparent, and Boston seems to be struggling heavily without him.

But entering Game 3, the Celtics are confident in their chances to win. Even with the two losses, Boston did have massive leads in each game, so they believe that if they can fix some mistakes, the series could drastically change.

Game 3 is going to tell us a lot about the Celtics and what kind of fight they have in themselves. Boston understands the place that they are in, and they know that going down 0-3 in the series could be tough.

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For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, head on over to Boston Celtics on SI.

This article first appeared on Boston Celtics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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