MIAMI -- Nothing about what happened to Kristaps Porzingis looked good. Driving down the left sideline to run a hand-off with Jaylen Brown, Porzingis pulled up and immediately signaled for a sub. It’s the exact scenario people fear: a non-contact injury where the player wants to get off the court as soon as possible.
“I hope it’s not too serious," Jayson Tatum said. "I hope that he can recover as fast as possible in the safest manner. And I just hope that he’s OK.”
There's no way to tell how much time Porzingis will miss until the imaging is done in the morning. The initial reports are promising in that he might have avoided a more serious Achilles injury, but calf muscles aren’t quick healers. There's a chance Porzingis will miss a little time.
“I wish the best for him. You hate to see that happen,” Derrick White said. “He works so hard, one of the best players in this game. So I told him we got his back and he’s gonna do what he needs to do to get treatment and to do what he needs to do to get back with us.”
The Celtics were fresh off a Game 3 where Tatum called Porzingis the most important player on the roster to accomplish what they want. Now they're faced with the possibility of having to do some, most, or in a worst-case scenario, all of it without him.
“He's in good spirits but we don't know what it's gonna be,” Al Horford said. “I’m just hoping it’s nothing serious and he can get back to us quick."
Horford is going to be the key to getting by without Porzingis. He started 33 games for the Celtics this season, many of which were in place of Porzingis, who sat out 25 games with various ailments and on back-to-backs. In the second half of Game 4, Horford played 20:44 and chipped in with five points, six rebounds, and two assists in that time.
“Al stepped up and did what Al Horford does,” White said. “Having a guy like that is just the ultimate luxury … we’ve got a lot of trust and faith in this whole roster, so we’re gonna need everybody.”
That they will. And that's why Game 5 is a must-win for Boston.
Let’s forget for a moment that any chance to wrap up a series needs to be taken. The last thing anyone wants is to be back in Miami Friday night for a Game 6. Even the Miami media wants a weekend off before they dive into their postseason questions.
And I’ll acknowledge that it would be a very Celtics thing to come out of two games in Miami won by a combined 34 points to lose a home closeout game and frustratingly extend the series. If Porzingis hadn’t gotten hurt, this piece would be about using Game 5 to definitively prove that this team isn’t doing that stuff anymore.
While that is still true, the Porzingis injury adds another layer.
Now, any chance to preserve Horford’s legs needs to be seized. Finishing this series off in five will give Horford the time to get some extra rest and treatment in a controlled environment. Keeping him away from Bam Adebayo and Miami’s extra-chippy play is a bit more of a priority.
And beyond that, the Celtics could use the extra days to make sure Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta are fully versed on the next game plan to help bridge whatever gap the Porzingis injury might cause. All of those guys are obviously very familiar with each other, but getting onto the practice floor and going through the reps will only help them get more comfortable in the second round.
“KP wasn't always playing all the time. So, Luke, Xavier, Neemie, have to kind of be ready to step up and answer the call,” Horford said. “They've been doing a good job of that all year. Obviously, it's the playoffs now, it’s different, but I have confidence in those guys if they need to come in and bring energy and impact the game."
It’s very clear that Miami is out-classed in this series. That was probably true even with Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, but it’s especially clear without them. The Celtics defense has been somewhere between good and amazing in three of the four games this series. If they can get it there again for Game 5, then it probably won’t matter that Porzingis is out.
But him being out does make it imperative that Boston finish this thing off. A little extra time to rest and recalibrate will go a long way. All they have to do now is show us they have what it takes to finish the job.
“Nothing changes. Bringing the same mindset, intentionality, toughness, details to the next game regardless of who is available. It doesn't matter,” Joe Mazzulla said. “There's no difference between the regular season and the playoffs. All year we've had guys step in and play, so the most important thing is executing the game plan and bring the mindset and toughness it takes.”