The Boston Celtics got a big game from Derrick White and cruised to a 102-88 win over the Miami Heat Monday night.
But they immediately shift their attention to Kristaps Porzingis, who pulled up with a non-contact calf injury in the second quarter and limped to the locker room. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Al Horford after halftime and didn’t return to the game.
With the win, the Celtics take a 3-1 series lead and face a closeout game in Boston on Wednesday. Porzingis’ status for that game and beyond wasn’t clear Monday night.
The injury took place late in the second quarter with Boston leading, 47-31. Porzingis took a pass from Jaylen Brown in a halfcourt set, then lost control of the ball while pulling up in apparent pain. He immediately raised his hand to be taken out of the game and started to limp.
The Celtics listed him as doubtful at halftime with right calf tightness. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported during the third quarter that Porzingis is scheduled to undergo imaging on Tuesday and that early indications are that he did not suffer an Achilles tendon injury.
Porzingis appeared to tweak something two possessions prior to leaving the floor. He came up limping in transition after a Celtics miss.
He remained in the game only to leave the floor with a limp moments later. Al Horford took his place in the starting lineup in the second half. The injury is a potentially significant blow for Boston if Porzingis is forced to miss extended time.
Porzingis was key for the Celtics as the rolled to the NBA’s best regular-season record at 64-18 in his first season with Boston. He averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 51.6% from the floor and 37.5% from 3 in the regular season.
Derrick White leads the charge
With Porzingis sidelined and Boston’s All-Stars struggling from the field, White took the offensive reins. He started hot with six 3-pointers in the first half and finished with a game-high 38 points alongside four rebounds, three assists and three blocks. The point total was a playoff career-high for White.
Behind White’s hot start, the Celtics seized a 34-24 first-quarter lead. He kept up the pace in the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers to extend Boston’s lead to 47-31.
He had 22 points at halftime as Boston entered the break with a 53-36 advantage.
This story will be updated.
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