Is Kristaps Porzingis playing tonight against the Miami Heat? | 2021-22 NBA season
Kristaps Porzingis, a one-time NBA All-Star, is undoubtedly one of the most talented yet polarizing big men in the league. The New York Knicks' 4th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft has been a dominating forward from the moment he stepped on the court. In his rookie season, the 26-year-old Latvian averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Kristaps Porzingis (out the last 3 games for lower back tightness) is doing some light shooting after Mavs’ practice during the portion open to reporters.
Don’t see Maxi Kleber, who left yesterday’s game with a back strain. https://t.co/gzFLRpyYIC
By his third year, Porzingis was averaging 22.7 points while also recording 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. Porzingis' presence on the offensive end is perhaps rivaled only by his presence on the defensive end. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 threes per game. As a big man, creating such a threat from downtown is a massive asset for the Dallas Mavericks.
However, Porzingis, who has remained injury prone for the entirety of his career, is facing issues yet again. After missing the 2018-19 season due to an ACL injury, he played only 57 games in 2019-20 and 43 games in 2020-21. Kristaps has already missed three games this season due to low back tightness.
Kristaps Porzingis' status for tonight's game against the Miami Heat?
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Porzingis had to leave the Dallas Mavericks' home opener early due to lower back tightness. For Monday's game against the Miami Heat, he has been listed as questionable after missing three games. He will most likely miss the next game as well. The Mavericks need Kristaps Porzingis to be a key player along with Luka Doncic going forward into the season.
Dallas will want to keep Porzingis rested and properly healed before they bring him back to the court. The nature of his status being questionable also highlights the team's reluctance to rush the Latvian's return.
When will Kristaps Porzingis return?
The 7'3" center is day-to-day at the moment. There is a high probability he will return to the court after being rested for another game or so. It would be a huge boost for Mavs fans to see Porzingis return as soon as possible.
How does Kristaps Porzingis' absence impact the Dallas Mavericks?
Porzingis is arguably the second-best scorer on the Mavericks roster, along with Tim Hardaway Jr. His presence on both the defensive and offensive end makes him an invaluable asset to the squad. Being only 26 at the moment, Porzingis can be a long term investment for Dallas.
In the upcoming game against the Miami Heat, without Kristaps Porzingis, the Dallas Mavericks will lack a dominant big man who can score from downtown while also blocking opposing players on the end.