Kristaps Porzingis Struggles Through Mystery Illness During Celtics Playoffs

Kristaps Porzingis struggled throughout the Boston Celtics' playoff run due to a lingering and mysterious illness that caused severe fatigue and reduced his effectiveness on the court. Despite being cleared by doctors and playing in all 11 playoff games, his minutes and production were significantly limited, including just 11 minutes in the season-ending Game 6 loss to the Knicks, where he scored four points and grabbed five rebounds. Porzingis described his condition as "very frustrating" with his system "not working the way it should be," and indicated that rest during the offseason might be crucial for recovery. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla noted Porzingis had difficulty breathing in Game 5 and was only available if absolutely necessary, reflecting the severity of his health issues. Porzingis's illness has cast uncertainty over his and the Celtics' future, especially following the loss of Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles, which compounded the team's challenges. The Celtics now face an offseason focused on recovery and figuring out the root cause of Porzingis's condition to restore his performance.