Kristaps Porziņģis exited the Golden State Warriors’ road loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night due to lower back spasms.
Speaking after the game, Porziņģis indicated he will “probably” be absent for Saturday night’s game in Atlanta against the Hawks.
Porziņģis Details Back Issue
Porziņģis said he initially felt his back tighten up in the first quarter. The problem worsened late in the second quarter after bumping with Pistons big man Jalen Duren on back-to-back plays.
On his final possession, Porziņģis leaped for an errant pass while Duren was pushing him from behind. Upon landing, Porziņģis grabbed his lower back and asked to leave the game. He then walked slowly to the locker room followed by a trainer.
The team ruled him out after halftime.
“When I was warm, I was OK,” Porziņģis said. “But on that one play I felt a little spasm.”
Recent Momentum Halted
Porziņģis had recently played in six of the Warriors’ previous eight games. He had been increasing his minute limit to 26 and said that he felt the best he’d felt this season.
He scored 11, 17, 20 and 30 points in the previous four games. After Wednesday night’s loss in Boston, he estimated he was at 60% of his normal self and needed a few more games to gain full rhythm.
Now, Porziņģis will presumably be sidelined.
Warriors’ Struggles Continue
The injury issues continue to mount for the 33-37 Warriors. They had a season-high 27 turnovers in Friday’s loss to the Pistons. The Warriors have lost seven of their past eight games.
Porziņģis Optimistic About Recovery
Porziņģis said he didn’t believe the back issue to be serious. He said he’d dealt with similar trouble early in his career and knew how to keep it calm.
“I would say I’m pretty good at managing it, keeping my back strong,” Porziņģis said. “Little tight now. Once I cool down, it’ll tighten up more.”
The Hawks traded Porziņģis to the Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield prior to the Feb. 5 deadline.
Kuminga has experienced his own health issues since joining the Hawks. He missed a handful of games including Friday night’s loss in Houston because of a bone bruise in his knee, but the expectation is that Kuminga will be on the floor against the Warriors on Saturday night.