"Looked an awful lot like KD": Celtics fans fear Kristaps Porzingis' postseason exit after latest injury setback 

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis suffered a non-contact right leg injury during Monday's 102-88 Game 4 first-round playoff road win over the Miami Heat. The nature of his injury had Celtics fans fearing the worst amid their team's quest for banner No. 18.

Porzingis' injury occurred late in the second quarter when he caught the ball on the perimeter and attempted to drive along the baseline. As he began accelerating, his leg seemingly tightened up, causing him to lose control of the ball.

The one-time All-Star exited the contest and didn't return, getting ruled out due to right calf tightness. He finished with seven points and three rebounds on 20.0% shooting in 14 minutes.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Porzingis will undergo an MRI on Tuesday but "early indications are that he hasn’t sustained an Achilles injury."

Nonetheless, Celtics fans on X/Twitter reacted in dismay. Some likened the 7-foot-2 big man's injury to former Golden State Warriors superstar forward Kevin Durant tearing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals.

"Looked an awful lot like KD when he got hurt in the finals vs the Raptors," @PierreAbernathy said.

"That’s an Achilles," @Kevinhay4 said.

Meanwhile, others expressed disappointment that Boston and Porzingis' first major injury may have come in the playoffs.

"Heartbreaking. We made it all year with no injuries [and] then this happened. Absolutely terrible," @AlexFinnX said.

"It’s a real shame. He’s been pretty healthy the last couple of years," @JacobCEdmunds said.

However, a few fans called out Porzingis for being too injury-prone.

"Flashbacks to why he was so frustrating on the [Dallas Mavericks]," @Munkfruit said.

"Porzingis and [Anthony Davis] are so soft," @sirwilliam72003 said.

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Kristaps Porzingis assures Celtics fans about his injury status following Boston's Game 4 win over Miami

Without Kristaps Porzingis, Boston had no problems defeating a shorthanded Miami team missing its top player, superstar forward Jimmy Butler (knee).

The Celtics, spearheaded by shooting guard Derrick White's career-high 38-point performance, led by as many as 28 points before coasting to a 14-point road victory.

After the game, Porzingis congratulated White and the rest of his team for taking a 3-1 series advantage over the Heat. He also assured fans that he would be fine following his injury scare.

"Good W tonight. D-White is special!!" Porzingis said. "Thanks for all the support, will be good."

While the Celtics likely won't need Porzingis back to close out Miami, he projects to be a key part of their championship hopes. The 28-year-old served as the third-leading scorer (20.1 points per game over 57 games) for Boston this season as it secured the league's top record (64-18).

So, the Celtics will hope for good news on the veteran big man ahead of Wednesday's Game 5 close-out opportunity.

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