The Boston Celtics remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the viral illness that sidelined Kristaps Porzingis for eight consecutive games.
Surprisingly, even Porzingis himself wasn’t entirely certain what he was battling, as reported by Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
Making his much-anticipated return in Saturday’s narrow 115-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, Porzingis reflected on the ordeal, calling it “extremely frustrating” due to the lack of a clear diagnosis.
Initially presenting as an upper respiratory issue, the illness seemed to develop into something resembling bronchitis or possibly mononucleosis.
“But I haven’t been this sick for probably ever in my life,” he admitted, describing a grueling stretch where he was bedridden for a week, focusing solely on recovery.
Even after the acute symptoms subsided, lingering fatigue plagued him.
“And I still have it a little bit,” he noted, “but at least I’m now getting into shape to be able to play.”
However, post-workout exhaustion remained a challenge.
“After each workout, I was, boom, big crash. I was really, really fatigued. Like, not normal.”
Determined to expedite his recovery, Porzingis leaned on various biohacking techniques in hopes of regaining peak form.
He disclosed that he had attempted to prepare for multiple games, including last Saturday’s matchup against the Lakers, only to be thwarted by sudden and severe energy crashes.
To provide clarity for fans, he took to social media on Monday, explaining his condition.
Despite lingering uncertainties, Porzingis managed to log 32 minutes in his return, tallying 24 points while staying on the floor for almost the entire fourth quarter.
Though he’ll monitor potential aftereffects in the coming days, his focus remains on contributing to the team’s success.
“As the game went on, I felt better and better,” he said. “I kind of had a little crash in the third but I pushed through it, and in the fourth, I had a great fourth. Yeah, it was a close one, but I’m happy we got it done.”
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Pritchard, Tatum, Brown https://t.co/iNMMcRceBU pic.twitter.com/wkvaYYeUck
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 16, 2025
