Kristaps Porzingis Makes Concerning Admission About Ongoing Illness After Celtics' Playoff Exit

The Boston Celtics were eliminated from postseason contention on Friday night after suffering a blowout loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Boston was without superstar Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles at the end of Game 4. With expectations that Tatum will miss most of next season, the spotlight now shifts to key players like forward Kristaps Porzingis—whose importance to the team has taken on even greater weight.

That said, Porzingis is also dealing with a lingering health issue that was noticeably affecting his performance throughout the NBA Playoffs, particularly in the series against the Knicks. His impact was minimal, largely due to an illness he’s reportedly been battling for the past three to four months.

He saw limited action toward the end of the regular season and appeared in just 42 games overall. After the Game 6 loss, Porzingis made a concerning admission about the illness, revealing that the fatigue has been significant. 

"I'm not sure. The doctors are trying to help as much as possible, but there’s just some lingering fatigue. Even now—I only played 11 minutes—but I’m completely gassed. I could just lie down right here and take a nap, which is extremely weird. I’ve had a lot of symptoms that have been really unusual. I don’t think anyone has a clear answer right now. I’ll just have to see how things progress from here."

Kristaps Porzingis was a vital part of the Celtics’ playoff and championship run in 2024. He was clearly one of the team’s five most impactful contributors to their success. 

However, this season—particularly in the second half—he struggled to stay healthy, ultimately preventing him from performing at the level Boston needed. As a result, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was forced to look for alternatives, often turning to Luke Kornet in Porzingis’s place.

On March 10, Porzingis shared an update with fans on social media regarding his condition, tweeting: “I have been dealing with some viral illness that we haven't been able to fully identify yet. I am recovering and getting better, but still working my way back to full strength to help this team. Thanks for the support and I’m hoping for a healthy return soon.”

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8)

© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Now, more than two months later from just that point, he’s still experiencing lingering symptoms—something that’s understandably concerning as the Celtics head into the offseason with questions not only about their roster but also Porzingis’ long-term health.