The new injury of Kristaps Porzingis that worries the Warriors

Golden State Warriors suffered another physical setback in a season marked by injuries. Kristaps Porzingis had to leave the game in Detroit due to lower back spasms, a condition that puts his presence in the upcoming match against his former team in doubt.

The Latvian center admitted after the game that it is unlikely that he will be able to play in Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, the team he was traded to in February. Although he didn't completely rule out his participation, he acknowledged that the affected area was “quite stiff”.

Kristaps Porzingis explained that he began to feel discomfort in the first quarter, but the situation worsened in the second after two consecutive actions where he collided with Detroit Pistons center, Jalen Duren.

In the decisive play, Porzingis jumped to catch a deflected pass while receiving contact from behind. Upon landing, he grabbed his lower back and immediately requested a substitution. He left the court walking slowly towards the locker room escorted by the team's physiotherapist, Drew Yoder, and did not return after halftime.

“When I was warm, I felt fine, but on that play, I felt a small spasm,” he explained.

A moment when he was regaining sensations

The injury comes just as Porzingis seemed to have found continuity. After overcoming an illness, he had played in six of the last eight games and had increased his playing time to 26 minutes per night.

His performance was also on the rise, with scores of 11, 17, 20, and 30 points in his previous four games. He had even recently stated that he was at around 60% of his usual level, confident in regaining his best form in a few games.

More problems for a declining Warriors team

This new setback adds to the long list of physical issues that Golden State is facing, with a record of 33-37.

In the game against Detroit, the team recorded 27 turnovers, their worst figure of the season, and has seven losses in the last eight games, reflecting a difficult period both in results and in the team's health.

Confidence that it's not serious

Despite the concern, Porzingis appeared relatively optimistic about the extent of the injury.

The center stated that he has dealt with similar discomfort in the past and knows how to manage it: “I would say I control it quite well, keeping my back strong. Right now, it's a bit stiff. When the pain subsides, it will tighten up more.”

A reunion conditioned by injuries

The game against Atlanta held a special significance for Porzingis, as he was traded to Golden State before the trade deadline on February 5 in a deal involving Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.

Interestingly, Kuminga has also had physical problems since joining the Hawks, missing several games — including Friday's game in Houston — due to a bone bruise in the knee, although he is expected to be available to face his former team.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La nueva lesión de Kristaps Porzingis que preocupa a los Warriors