Kristaps Porzingis said that the virus caused his energy to crash right before Game 1, causing him to be relegated to a bench role.

The Boston Celtics are sticking with Al Horford as their starting center for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, even though Kristaps Porzingis is available to play

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis came off the bench for the second straight game after an ominous report about his lingering illness.

Despite a good touch around the basket (70% from the field), the 7-footer is a career 52% shooter from the charity stripe.

It can be considered a Knicks’ failure as much as an indictment of Robinson’s practice habits that at 27 years old, he still can’t hit a foul shot.

Mitch," the strategy to put an opposing, poor free-throw shooting center at the foul line to regain possession. The New York Knicks have been on the wrong side of the strategy over the NBA playoffs, with the Detroit Pistons intentionally fouling Knicks center Mitchell Robinson in the first round and the Boston Celtics doing the same in the second round.

Outside of Jalen Brunson's 27-point performance, the Knicks didn't get much from their squad. On paper, Karl-Anthony Towns put together a 21-point, 15-rebound performance, though he shot just 5-of-16 from the field.

New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns, left, works the ball against Boston Celtics' Payton Pritchard, right, during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) AP

Despite lip-reading experts suggesting Karl-Anthony Towns said he broke his hand during the Knicks' Game 3 loss to the Boston Celtics, the big man is downplaying the injury. “It is what it is,” Towns told reporters when asked about his hand and how fans have interpreted the injury.

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