On Monday, the Boston Celtics blew a 20-point lead and fell into a 1-0 hole in their second round playoff series vs the New York Knicks. The Celtics played much of this game without big man Kristaps Porzingis, who exited late in the first half with an illness and did not return.

The ailment conjured up memories of the extended stretch of games earlier this season that Porzingis missed due to a mysterious illness, and recently, Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog reported on X that the illness Porzingis suffered on Monday is connected to his previous one.

“He had been working through it since he's gotten back and he's done a great job of being available. It was just hard for him to continue yesterday,” said Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla on Tuesday.

The Celtics are used to operating without Porzingis in the lineup, something they had to do for the majority of their postseason run last year, which culminated in a championship.

Porzingis struggled mightily in the Celtics' first round series against the Orlando Magic, not hitting his first three-pointer until Game 4 of that matchup, and was off to a similarly poor start before exiting vs the Knicks.

A tough loss for Boston

Article Continues Below
More Boston Celtics News
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7), guard Jrue Holiday (4) and guard Derrick White (9) react after a play against the New York Knicks in the second half at TD Garden.
Celtics rumors: Boston evaluating Jaylen Brown, Derrick White trade interestRishav Bhat ·
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden.
Kristaps Porzingis trade grades after stunning Hawks-Celtics dealZachary Howell ·
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots a free throw against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena.
Hawks acquiring Kristaps Porzingis in 3-team trade with Celtics, NetsBenedetto Vitale ·
NBA rumors: Multiple teams have 'significant interest' in Jaylen Brown trade, Boston Celtics
NBA rumors: Multiple teams have ‘significant interest’ in Jaylen Brown tradeChris Spiering ·
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) warms up before the start of game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at TD Garden.
The next trade Celtics must make after Jrue Holiday-Anfernee Simons swap with BlazersZachary Howell ·
NBA rumors: Warriors among teams linked to Kristaps Porzingis trade with Celtics
NBA rumors: Warriors among teams linked to Kristaps Porzingis trade with CelticsChris Spiering ·
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden.
Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Celtics likely aren't panicking after narrowly losing a contest in which they set the NBA record for most missed three-pointers in a postseason game.

Still, Boston should have a healthy level concern after relinquishing their 20-point lead in alarmingly quick fashion. It's also not a great sign that the Knicks didn't get much from Karl-Anthony Towns, or a particular efficient performance from Jalen Brunson (at least until the fourth quarter), and were still able to win.

It's unclear how long, if at all, Porzingis will be out of the lineup with this illness. As previously mentioned, the Celtics have proven themselves more than capable of holding down the fort in his absence.

In any case, the Celtics and Knicks will tip off Game 2 of their series on Wednesday evening, once again from the TD Garden in Boston at 7:00 PM ET.