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Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis received a platelet-rich plasma injection in the sore right knee that has sidelined him since the start of the year, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. The star forward is set to sit out for a sixth straight game when the Mavs face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
According to Tim Cato of The Athletic, Porzingis has also been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, which would give him extra time to heal, as the Mavs won't play again until next Tuesday at the Chase Center in San Francisco to face the Golden State Warriors.
The Mavs have been known to use PRP injections to treat these types of injuries in the past. The 7-foot-3 forward is averaging 17.3 points and 9.4 rebounds this season, his first full stint since tearing his left ACL on Feb. 6, 2018, which would eventually mark his last game with the New York Knicks.
Porzingis was traded at the deadline last season but sat out the remainder of 2018-19 recovering from his injury. He had played in 31 of Dallas' first 32 games before getting sidelined with this injury, one the Mavs intend to treat with utmost caution.
Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell will continue to log extended minutes in his absence, with frontcourt partner Luka Doncic running the show, as he has for the bulk of this 2019-20 season.
Dallas will be extremely careful bringing back Porzingis, even if the injury is minor. That's the right approach, considering he's already had a major knee injury early in his career. With eyes on the playoffs, the Mavericks will hope Porzingis is able to fully heal from his soreness before plugging him back in the lineup. They committed to Porzingis with a five-year, $158 million extension, so they're taking the long view with his health.
