Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis was forced to leave Friday’s game in Detroit due to lower back soreness, according to Anthony Slater.
He exited in the second quarter, walking to the locker room and never returning to the bench, finishing with five points, three rebounds, and two blocks in 11 minutes.
After the game, Porzingis explained that his back started “spasming up a bit” in the first quarter (Twitter video link via Slater).
He said he was still feeling tightness afterward and will “probably” miss Saturday’s game in Atlanta, though he doesn’t believe the injury will be long term.
The setback adds to a challenging stretch for both Porzingis and Golden State, which has lost six of its last seven games.
Porzingis had recently begun to regain form after missing time with an illness, but continued health issues have interrupted his rhythm.
In 23 appearances this season with Atlanta and Golden State, he’s averaging 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists 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
