Celtics' Porzingis Returns After Forehead Injury in Playoff Win

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis suffered a bloody gash to his forehead after taking an elbow from Orlando's Goga Bitadze in Game 2 of their playoff series, but returned to the court after receiving stitches and finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The play was reviewed and Bitadze was assessed a flagrant foul for the incident. Porzingis' resilience, returning to take his free throws and later rejoining the game to help secure a 109-100 win, was praised by both teammates and coach Joe Mazzulla as an example of the team's grit and toughness. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 36 points, helping Boston take a 2-0 series lead despite the absence of All-Star Jayson Tatum due to injury. The Celtics' tenacity and physical play have defined the early games of the series, with both teams enduring hard hits and aggressive play. The series now shifts to Orlando for Game 3.