Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis speaks on injury after win against Heat

Kristaps Porzingis suffered a sprained left ankle during the Boston Celtics’ 143-110 victory over the Miami Heat, exiting the court in the third quarter during Thursday’s NBA action. Before the injury, Porzingis had contributed significantly, recording 19 points, four rebounds, and one assist in 21 minutes, shooting 6-9 from the floor, 3-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-4 on free throws.

“We just had an answer for everything tonight,” Porzingis said. “The schedule was not in their favor, having a back-to-back. We understand that. Offensively, what we did tonight, that was a step forward we took for ourselves. We look forward to keep developing that chemistry we have this season.”

The incident occurred as Porzingis attempted to block a shot from Bam Adebayo, landing awkwardly on Adebayo’s foot. Porzingis fell and clutched his ankle in pain before limping towards the Celtics’ bench.

“I just went to contest Bam’s shot and just landed on his foot and rolled my ankle,” Porzingis said. “Not too bad. Got me pretty good in the moment. But feeling pretty good now.”

Porzingis was promptly taken to the locker room for treatment and evaluation, where the sprain was diagnosed. Despite the injury, he expressed optimism in his postgame comments, indicating that he did not believe the sprain to be serious.

When discussing the potential impact of his injury, Porzingis emphasized that he’s trying to stay positive but acknowledged it’s too early to determine much about his playing status. He felt he could have played had it been a game with greater implications.

“I think tomorrow will be clearer, how it’s doing, especially after the flight and all that,” Porzingis said. “But as of right now, I’m feeling pretty good. I’m just trying to stay positive.”

Porzingis remains a critical element of the Celtics’ success, averaging 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 33 games this season. Boston has succeeded at a high level without him in the lineup, going 10-2 in those 12 outings.

Boston returns to action on Saturday night when facing the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden.