Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis has a new injury to deal with, one that could keep him out of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.
The Celtics hold a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the best-of-seven set, but announced Tuesday in a press release that Porzingis "suffered a torn medial retinaculum" that allowed "dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg" during Game 2. Boston called the big man's ailment "rare."
Head coach Joe Mazzulla described the injury as "serious" and added that he had "no idea" if Porzingis will be able to suit up as the series shifts to Dallas.
Joe Mazzulla says this is a “serious injury” and the Celtics’ medical team will make the decision about Kristaps Porzingis’ availability. “He’s doing anything and everything he can to be able to play,” Mazzulla said. https://t.co/bgl8lLCupi
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 11, 2024
For what it's worth, Jared Weiss of The Athletic captured a short video of Porzingis on Tuesday, showing the 28-year-old Latvian seemingly walking well.
Just walked past Porziņģis and he seems to be in good spirits and walking comfortably. https://t.co/ydRD0goo29 pic.twitter.com/dKvCHDRMVd
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) June 11, 2024
Porzingis led Boston in blocks per game (1.9) in the regular season, finished second in rebounding (7.2) and third in scoring (20.1 points per game) and was first in field goal percentage (51.6%) among the eight players who saw at least 16 minutes of action per contest.
The 2018 All-Star started in all 57 games he appeared in prior to the playoffs, but he suffered a right calf injury during Game 4 of the team's first-round series against the Miami Heat.
Porzingis was then sidelined for over a month, covering 10 games and including the entire second and third rounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, respectively.
The Celtics showed off their depth with Porzingis sidelined, turning to 37-year-old Al Horford to fill the vacant spot in the starting lineup. The five-time All-Star had multiple clutch performances with his teammate on the bench, averaging 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds across Boston's four-game sweep of the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Porzingis had a triumphant return in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, pouring in 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting with six rebounds and three blocks in just 21 minutes. He was efficient again in Game 2, going 4-for-7 for 12 points and adding four rebounds and two blocks.
If the Mavericks want any chance of making this a competitive series or coming back from a 2-0 hole, they will need to take advantage of a possibly undermanned opponent without its best rim protector.
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Myles Turner had spent the first ten seasons of his career playing for the Indiana Pacers. Last year, the former Texas star helped lead the franchise to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. However, Turner shockingly signed with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month. Via ESPN's Shams Charania (on July 1): " Free agent center Myles Turner has agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, plus a player option for year four in 2028-29 and a full 15% trade kicker, sources tell ESPN. Stunner." One person who reacted to the signing was New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson (via Roommates Show). Brunson: "I thought the Myles Turner thing was like weird... You know what's crazy about that? I feel like he was on the trading block like every year... It was like that for at least five, six years." Turner finished his final year in Indiana with averages of 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per contest while shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from the three-point range in 72 games. He was the 11th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. As for Brunson, he led the Knicks to the 2025 Eastern Confernece finals They lost to Turner and the Pacers (in six games). Brunson (who has been with New York for three seasons) had averages of 26.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists per contest while shooting 48.8% from the field and 38.3% from the three-point range in 65 games.
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Shedeur Sanders has been working with the Cleveland Browns' equipment staff as the No. 4 quarterback this summer. He'll have a new opportunity following the troubling injury news for Kenny Pickett. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice and will not receive reps until his issue is re-evaluated. "Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources," Schefter posted on X. "Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps for Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett's injury will shake up the quarterback race in Cleveland. Through OTAs and early in training camp, Sanders has been the odd man out as the only signal caller on the roster not to receive reps with the first-team offense. It's unclear if the Browns coaching staff intends to give Sanders reps with the first-team offense now that Pickett is sidelined, but the fifth-round pick will have more chances this week to prove that he deserves an opportunity to stay in Cleveland. The Browns are in a unique situation with their rookie quarterbacks. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, but the son of Deion Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft for reasons other than talent. The majority of draft analysts had Sanders as a better-graded quarterback than Gabriel, and many thought the Colorado product would be taken in the first round. The Browns can use the injury as an excuse to give Sanders reps with the first team, and it's a task they need to take advantage of before the team names a starter. Sanders has the potential to be a starter in the league, and this week is pivotal for his rookie season in Cleveland.
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit into the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .217/.288/.408 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability, and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts, and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.