Dallas Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis exited the game on Thursday against the Detroit Pistons after a knee injury. After the game, head coach Rick Carlisle believes that the big man should be alright.
Per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, Carlisle shared Porzingis' situation after the game. The head coach seems optimistic about the Latvian's health status. Carlisle and Mavs fans everywhere are hoping that Porzingis won't be out for long.
Carlisle: "I don't know really anything else" about Porzingis' knee, "but he was walking around fine and seemed in good spirits afterwards."
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 30, 2021
I asked Carlisle how Porzingis was moving before the knee injury and whether the ankle bothered him: "I thought he did some good things out there, but I've seen him move better . . . We hope it's a short-term thing and hope for the best."
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 30, 2021
In the Mavs' 115-105 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, Porzingis played 21 minutes and chipped in 11 points. Midway through the third quarter, the 7-foot-3 Latvian complained of knee soreness. Come the fourth quarter, the Mavericks announced that Porzingis wouldn't be returning to the game.
Thursday's game was actually Porzingis' first game back after missing three matches due to a sprained right ankle — which added a host of lower body issues that Porzingis has had to endure in his young career.
To recall, the 25-year-old had surgery in October to repair a lateral meniscus injury in his right knee he injured in the playoffs. He missed the first few games of the season. The Mavs practiced caution by limiting his minutes and reducing his back-to-back games. Prior to this, he suffered an ACL tear in 2018 which sidelined him for more than a year.
Time will only tell if Porzingis is indeed alright. The playoffs are just around the corner and the Mavs once again have a chance to make a deep run. But it would be close to impossible if they don't have the Latvian in the fold.
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