Kristaps Porzingis of the Golden State Warriors dealt with lower back soreness during Friday’s road game in Detroit, as Anthony Slater of ESPN reported.
Although the Warriors officially listed him as questionable to return, he did not come back to the bench after heading to the locker room in the second quarter.
Before exiting, Porzingis recorded five points, three rebounds, and two blocks in 11 minutes.
Golden State struggled without him, trailing by more than 20 points late in the game as their recent slump continued, with multiple losses piling up in recent outings.
The setback is another frustrating development for Porzingis, who has battled injuries over the past two seasons.
He had recently said he was starting to feel better after missing time due to illness, but this latest issue could sideline him again.
Through 23 games this season with Atlanta and Golden State, Porzingis has averaged 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.7 minutes per game.
Warriors' Porzingis Exits Friday's Game With Back Soreness https://t.co/DwOZmAjDeq pic.twitter.com/4dMO3wY35p
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 21, 2026
