The Boston Celtics, a National Basketball Association (NBA) team, announced that center Kristaps Porzingis will miss the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for Latvia after opting to undergo leg surgery.
Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2 of the recently concluded NBA Finals. The player had hoped to delay the surgery until after Latvia’s Olympic campaign but decided to opt for surgery after speaking with the Celtics management.
Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens confirmed the development during an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Podcast.
“We are going to be different right out of the gate simply because you know we have guys like Kristaps after his surgery. We don’t know exactly when he will be back. He will probably miss at least the very start of the season,” Stevens stated.
“The injury doesn’t allow for consistent play at the level required for Olympic competition. Surgery will be performed in the coming days, and further updates will be provided when available,” he added.
The 28-year-old missed Game 3 and Game 4 of the NBA Finals due to his injury but returned for Game 5, playing 16 minutes off the bench as the Celtics clinched the series with a 4-1 victory.
Kristaps Porzingis averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in his first six games of the postseason, and his absence will be a significant loss for Latvia, given his status as one of their key players. However, despite his absence, Latvia is considered strong in the OQT, being the highest-ranked team among the six teams competing, ranked No. 6 globally.
Latvia have been drawn in Group A along with Georgia and the Philippines in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT). The team has a history of performing well in Kristap Porzingis’ absence, having finished fifth in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and nearly defeating eventual champions Germany.
While undergoing surgery benefits Kristaps Porzingis’ career, he is also expected to miss the start of the 2024/25 NBA season.
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