Porzingis Injury Looms Over Finals

Porzingis Diagnosed with, “Rare Injury.” 

The Boston Celtics are just 2 wins from their first NBA Finals victory since 2008. Up 2-0 in the series, Boston's roaring momentum has suddenly come to a screeching halt. Kristaps Porzingis, the former Maverick and dominant center for the Celtics, is by all accounts the X factor for this Celtics team that dominated the regular season with a 64-18 record. Porzingis has a torn medial retinaculum, and while he’s listed as day to day, there’s a real expectation that he will be out for the remainder of the series.

Kristaps Porzingis

The Dallas Mavericks have new life

The Dallas Mavericks got dominated in virtually every aspect in the first two games of the series. Despite a 30 point triple double by superstar Luka Doncic, they shot an abysmal 6 for 26 from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving, who has played elite in the playoffs until the Finals, has looked not only mortal against the Celtics, but has not been effective at all offensively. However, The once seemingly unstoppable Celtics seem beatable now that Porzingis is most likely out for the next few games of the series, and perhaps the whole series. The Mavericks are 2.5 point favorites in game 3 at home, and have a legitimate chance to sweep the next two games in Dallas and go back to Boston with the series tied. If Dallas will take advantage of this remains to be seen, but the series that many were calling over you can no longer do so.

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic

It’s Jayson Tatum's time to shine

Anyone on social media has seen the Jayson Tatum memes and slander. Despite the 2-0 lead for his team, people have been highly critical of the Celtics superstar play, and for good reason. Coming off a series against the Indiana Pacers in which teammate Jaylen Brown won Eastern Conference Finals MVP, Jayson Tatum is not playing like the best player on the Celtics right now. Although he did have 18 points and 12 assists alongside 9 rebounds in game 2, he shot 6 of 22 from the field including 1 of 7 from beyond the arc. The Celtics could get away with a Tatum shooting performance like that, at home with a healthy Porzingis. But playing in Dallas, likely without their all-star center, Tatum will have to be much better for his team to be the last one left standing.

Jayson Tatum

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