Last Sunday, the Atlanta Hawks said that their center Kristaps Porzingis would be out for at least two weeks. He is now suffering from a serious ailment. During the teleconference, the team announced that more tests will be done in order to re-evaluate his status. It’s a make or break season of sorts for the 28-year-old speedster. He’s already missed out on considerable development time at a crucial age, and this absence only compounds his issues.
He has sat out 10 of the last 14 games since returning on November 13th. In reality, he’s actually missed seven of his last nine games, which has contributed to his team’s sharp decline. The Hawks depend on Porzingis, not just for the scoring punch he provides, but the shot-blocking deterrent he can be. Early returns on his development this season as he’s averaging 19.2 points per game to go with 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.
Porzingis has only been able to appear in 13 games this season, leading to questions about his long-term durability after a rough past season. Even last year’s playoffs were tough for him. He only played 11 games, averaging 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in just over 21 minutes per game. His recurring issues with injuries have raised doubts about what he can do for the team long term.
The Hawks will have to try something different without Porzingis in the lineup. Our readers know that the team is starting to have a very competitive season. They’ll further aggressively recruit new players to cover the hollowed-out space created by the center. His scoring and defensive prowess has been an instrumental part of Atlanta’s success thus far. Now, the coaching staff will have to get creative and look to cover up for his absence.
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