OKLAHOMA CITY — Kristaps Porzingis logged 23 minutes in the Golden State Warriors’ 104-97 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, his first appearance since missing six games with illness.
The 7-foot-3 forward finished with nine points, five rebounds, five assists and one block in what was only his second game since arriving from the Atlanta Hawks in a Feb. 4 trade.
“I believe I will be healthy now,” Porzingis said afterward. “One workout before the game and I felt pretty decent. This time I really feel this is it.”
Long illness follows February diagnosis
Porzingis’ availability has been limited for more than a year. After contracting a virus late last February, Boston Celtics doctors diagnosed him with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that can cause rapid heart rate, dizziness and fatigue. He played only 17 games for Atlanta before the deadline deal to Golden State.
The Latvian stayed in San Francisco during the All-Star break to prepare for his Warriors debut on Feb. 19 against the Celtics, logging 17 minutes that night. Two days later he fell ill again, leading to the latest six-game layoff while the team’s medical staff evaluated his condition.
Kerr clarifies earlier comments
Last week coach Steve Kerr sparked confusion by telling a Bay Area radio station that Porzingis did not have POTS, calling the previous report “misinformation.” Kerr later retracted the statement, labeling it a “stupid mistake.”
“It wasn’t ideal because it put something out again,” Porzingis said of the mix-up. “I told Steve it was OK. I know he didn’t mean anything.”
Minutes management ahead of playoffs
The Warriors will sit Porzingis on Monday in Utah, the front end of a back-to-back set, and plan to play him Tuesday at home against the Chicago Bulls. With roughly 20 regular-season games remaining, Porzingis hopes to ramp up his workload quickly.
“I want to catch a really good rhythm and see if we can do anything in the postseason,” he said.
Source: ESPN
