Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) aims to score as Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) defends during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Monday, April 29, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
MIAMI — Boston center Kristaps Porzingis left the Celtics’ NBA playoff game in Miami on Monday night late in the first half with what the team said was right calf tightness.
The play happened with about 2:35 left in the second quarter. Porzingis took a dribble as he tried to move to his left, then pulled up — without any visible contact on the play — and immediately motioned to the Boston bench.
He was subbed out eight seconds later and went directly to the Celtics’ locker room, stopping along the way to pull the top of his jersey over his face.
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Porzingis missed seven games earlier this season with what the Celtics called left calf injuries, and he wears tape over the back of his left leg as a precaution. Porzingis also missed time this season with a variety of other issues — inflammation and contusions in his right knee, right hamstring problems, a sprained left ankle and back soreness.
The Celtics said he was doubtful to play in the second half. Porzingis had seven points and three rebounds in 13 1/2 first-half minutes for the Celtics.
He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in the regular season, appearing in 57 games. In the first three games of the Heat-Celtics series entering Monday, Porzingis averaged 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.