NBA Finals: Celtics Porzingis’ Dislocated Tendon Puts Game 3 Appearance in Doubt

Kristaps Porzingis who has a dislocated tendon in his lower left leg hasn’t been ruled out of Game 3 of the NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics against the Dallas Mavericks.

The team said Tuesday the injury to Porzingis occurred in the third quarter of Boston’s 105-98 victory in Game 2 and was unrelated to the right calf strain that sidelined the 7-foot-2 Latvian for 10 consecutive playoff games.

The team called the injury rare and said Porzingis’ availability was day-to-day. Boston takes a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 on Wednesday night in Dallas. Porzingis has a tear in tissue that holds tendons in place.

Porzingis said he felt something after bumping knees with Dallas center Dereck Lively II but kept playing. He left the game in the final minute of the third quarter and played about 3 1/2 minutes in the fourth.

Porzingis was walking with a slight limp and had a black sleeve covering his lower left leg when he met with reporters on the off day Tuesday.

“I’m optimistic,” said Porzingis, who said while downplaying any injury concern after Game 2, “I’ll die out there if we need.”

On Tuesday, he added, “I will do everything I can to be out there tomorrow.”

Porzingis hasn’t played in Dallas in the 2 1/2 years since he was traded by the Mavericks to Washington. The 28-year-old joined the Celtics in a trade last summer.

The first game beyond the first round in Porzingis’ career was Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and he jump-started the Celtics with 11 points and two blocks in the first quarter of the 107-89 win. He finished with 20 points, three blocks and six rebounds.