Kristaps Porzingis injury: Celtics center leaves 76ers game with ankle pain

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis left Wednesday’s game against the 76ers with left ankle soreness. The team deemed him as doubtful to return. Porzingis did not emerge from the locker room with his teammates after halftime. Luke Kornet started at center in his place.

Porzingis appeared to tweak his ankle in the opening minute of the Celtics Christmas matchup against the 76ers. He appeared to wince his pain for several seconds after turning the ankle on an offensive possession but attempted to shake off the injury. Porzingis played well despite the discomfort early on, scoring nine points and and dishing out three assists in 13 first half minutes. He also played the final 34 seconds of the first half before the team announced his injury during halftime.

It’s the second injury for Porzingis in the last two weeks after undergoing offseason leg surgery. Porzingis left the Wizards game last Sunday early with heel pain but was cleared to return after three days off.

The Celtics big man has appeared in ten games after making his season debut in November, averaging 19.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game over 28.6 minutes per game. He played a season-high 37 minutes in the Celtics’ loss to the Magic on Monday night in Orlando.

Without Porzingis available in the second half, Neemias Queta saw action off the bench while Kornet played center alongside Al Horford in Boston’s starting unit to begin the third quarter. Boston was already without Jrue Holiday for the matchup against the 76ers due to a right shoulder impingement.

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