Celtics ‘Hopeful’ Kristaps Porzingis Can Play in Game 3 of NBA Finals

Kristaps Porziņģis’ status for Game 3 of the NBA Finals is still up in the air.

The Boston Celtics officially listed him as questionable after he suffered a torn left medial retinaculum in their Game 2 victory. On Run It Back, FanDuel’s Flagship NBA show, insider Shams Charania gave an update on Porziņģis’ chances to play tonight.

This update is not the most encouraging for Celtics fans. Porziņģis knows how important he is to Boston’s success in these finals, but if there is still hope surrounding his ability to warm up, playing between the lines tonight is not a given. However, there should be zero doubt regarding Porziņģis’ dedication to his team and the ultimate goal.

Boston holds a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks, making Game 3 “must-win” territory for the latter at the American Airlines Center tonight.

Porziņģis’ Status Changes Gameplans

Kidd and Mazzulla must prepare their respective squads for every scenario

Boston played the majority of these playoffs without the Latvian big man, starting veteran Al Horford in his place. For the sake of continuity and chemistry, Mazzulla brought Porziņģis off the bench when he returned from a calf strain in Game 1 of the finals. While Porziņģis is known for deadly three-point shooting, his biggest impact on the floor in these finals has been protecting the rim. He racked up five blocks across both contests. While Horford is still a threat from deep, shooting 3-8 on triples in the first two games, he does not protect the rim like Porziņģis.

If Porziņģis misses Game 3, Jrue Holiday and Derrick Whites’ defensive roles become even more important. They must keep Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving out of the paint due to the decrease in shot-blocking. Boston might switch more often with Horford on the floor than Porziņģis due to the former’s better foot speed. If that is the case, Irving must take advantage of those situations and relieve some of the scoring pressure off Dončić.

Throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford threw down monstrous dunks off alley-oops. Porziņģis’ size makes it more difficult for Dončić and Irving to throw lobs on target; however, at 6 feet 9 inches, Horford does not provide the same difficulty. Expect the Mavericks’ centers to be more involved if Porziņģis misses tonight’s contest.

Tip-off for Game 3 is set for 8:30 p.m. EST, airing on ABC.

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