Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis: Likely to miss second-round series
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Porzingis (calf) will likely remain sidelined for the Celtics' second-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.
Porzingis sustained a calf injury in Game 4 of Boston's first-round series and was unavailable for Wednesday's Game 5 as the Celtics took down the Heat to advance to the second round. He's been diagnosed with a right soleus strain and was expected to miss several games, and it appears likely that his absence will span the entirety of the second round. However, the Celtics hope that Porzingis will be able to return if the team advances to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the 28-year-old will rest and rehab in the coming days.
White chipped in 25 points (8-13 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 4-5 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal across 29 minutes during Wednesday's 118-84 win over Miami in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
White co-led the Celtics in scoring Wednesday alongside Jaylen Brown, and he enjoyed playing a more prominent role on offense with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) sidelined and with Jayson Tatum taking a bit of a step back on the scoring side of things. White reached the 20-point mark in three of his five appearances in the series against the Heat, and he should remain an offensive menace in the Eastern Conference Semifinals regardless of whether the Celtics face the Magic or the Cavaliers.
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Celtics' Jaylen Brown: Goes for 25 points in Game 5 win
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Brown finished Wednesday's 118-84 victory over Miami in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 25 points (11-19 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 2-5 FT), six rebounds and two assists over 26 minutes.
Brown was one of two Boston players who reached the 25-point mark Wednesday, with Derrick White being the other, but he didn't do much outside of scoring. Brown scored 20-plus points in three of the five outings in the series against the Heat, and he should continue to play a prominent role on offense in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, regardless of the opponent, especially if Kristaps Porzingis (calf) remains sidelined for a prolonged stretch.
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Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Another double-double
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Tatum totaled 16 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 6-9 FT), 12 rebounds, three assists and one block in 32 minutes during Wednesday's 118-84 victory over the Heat in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
There's no doubt that Tatum is the undisputed go-to player on offense for the Celtics, and the star forward can take over a game if needed every time the team needs him to do so. He was active on both ends of the court in the series against the Heat, however, recording four double-doubles in five games while also reaching the 20-point plateau four times. He averaged 21.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game against the Heat and will now aim to lead Boston in the Conference Semifinals, where the Celtics will take on either the Cavaliers or the Magic.
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Celtics' Al Horford: Starting sans Porzingis
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Horford will enter the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Heat.
Horford played 34 minutes in Game 4 with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) going down with an injury in the first half. With Porzingis sidelined Wednesday -- and likely longer -- Horford will step into the starting center role, where he's expected to remain until Porzingis returns.
Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis: Likely out multiple games
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Porzingis (calf) is expected to miss a minimum of several games, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Porzingis has already been ruled out for Game 5 against Miami on Wednesday due to a right soleus strain, but it now appears that he will be headed toward an extended absence. It seems unlikely that Porzingis will return to action for the remainder of Boston's first-round series and could be kept out longer if the team continues to advance in the playoffs. With the 28-year-old big man sidelined, Al Horford should slide into the starting lineup, with Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman competing for bench minutes.
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Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis: Won't play Game 5
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Porzingis (calf) has been ruled out for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Heat, Justin Turpin of WEEI.com reports.
Porzingis has been diagnosed with a right soleus strain, the same injury that's kept Giannis Antetokounmpo out since April 9. With Boston holding a 3-1 lead, Al Horford will likely slide into the starting lineup in Porzingis' absence for at least the remainder of the opening-round series.
Horford supplied seven points (3-5 FG, 1-3 3Pt), eight rebounds, two assists and one steal in 34 minutes during Monday's 102-88 win over the Heat in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Horford was forced into an increased role Monday, thanks to a calf injury to Kristaps Porzingis. While initial reports indicate that Porzingis has avoided anything serious, there is certainly a chance he will miss at least the next game. Should that be the case, Horford would likely slide into the starting lineup.
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Celtics' Jrue Holiday: Modest production again
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Holiday chipped in 11 points (4-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal over 38 minutes during Monday's 102-88 win over the Heat in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Holiday continues to put up mediocre stats, something that has been a trend all season long. He has had to take a back seat since arriving in Boston, especially on the offensive end. With that said, the Celtics recently signed him to a sizeable contract extension, highlighting just how important he is to the team despite the lack of tangible numbers.
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Celtics' Derrick White: Catches fire in win
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White produced 38 points (15-26 FG, 8-15 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and three blocks across 41 minutes during Monday's 102-88 victory over Miami in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
White dominated both ends of the floor, guiding the Celtics to victory in Game 3 against the Heat. He led all players in scoring and blocked shots, demonstrating his versatility. Now leading 3-1, Boston will look to wrap up the series Wednesday in front of their home fans.
Porzingis is considered doubtful to return to Monday's Game 4 against the Heat due to right calf tightness, NBC Sports Boston reports.
The severity of Porzingis' injury isn't yet known, but his night is likely over. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has already reported that Porzingis will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, and the initial indication is that he managed to avoid an Achilles injury. Boston should have more information on the big man's status over the next day or so before the Celtics host the Heat for Game 5 on Wednesday.
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Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis: Limps to locker room
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Porzingis walked to the locker room during the first half of Monday's Game 4 against the Heat with an apparent lower body injury, Souichi Terada of The Springfield Republican reports.
Porzingis came up limping with a few minutes remaining in the second quarter, and he immediately called to the bench for a sub and walked gingerly to the locker room to be evaluated further. Al Horford and Luke Kornet would be in line for larger workloads in the frontcourt if Porzingis is unable to return.
