Kristaps Porzingis spoke candidly following the Boston Celtics’ 121-113 Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks, as attention quickly shifted from the scoreboard to Jayson Tatum’s injury.
Speaking with reporters after the game, Porzingis admitted the team was shaken by the sight of Tatum being unable to stand on his own. “It didn’t look good,” he said. “We’re hoping for the best.”
The All-Star forward was carried off the court late in the fourth quarter after falling awkwardly while chasing a loose ball, adding uncertainty to Boston’s attempt to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
Porzingis confirmed he hadn’t yet spoken with Tatum postgame and noted the locker room atmosphere reflected the moment. “The mood’s down,” he said.
Boston led by double digits at halftime before a 37-point third quarter from New York shifted the momentum. Porzingis acknowledged the team’s defensive slippage and praised Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who finished with 39 points and 12 assists. “Brunson was unreal tonight,” he said. “They were getting buckets and made it really tough for us.”
When asked how the team will respond if Tatum is unavailable for Game 5, Porzingis emphasized the group’s depth. “We have a lot of talent,” he said. “There’s no replacement for this guy… but we have to play with the hand that we’re dealt.”
Porzingis, who played 24 minutes and scored seven points, said Monday marked the first time in a while he felt physically better. “Just my energy. I was a bit more uplifted,” he shared.
He explained that recent illness had caused unpredictable fatigue, forcing him to sleep excessively and adapt his preparation. “Some days I could sleep 12 hours, no problem,” he said. “Heavy fatigue… super weird.”
Asked how the Celtics manage the emotional toll of seeing a key teammate go down, Porzingis pointed to professionalism. “We’re grown men,” he said. “He doesn’t want us to be over here sad and not play our best basketball.”
Despite the somber tone, Porzingis expressed confidence that Boston remains capable of competing in Tatum’s potential absence. “We’ve shown in the past that we can still play really good basketball,” he said.
Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday at TD Garden, where the Celtics must win to keep their season alive.
