Kristaps Porzingis Injury Update: New York Knicks Get Another Scare In Win

Kristaps Porzingis and the New York Knicks suffered another scare Thursday night. The star big man exited the team’s game against the Brooklyn Nets with knee pain in the third quarter, leaving Knicks’ fans concerned that their best player might’ve suffered a serious injury.

The news after the game was mostly positive. Porzingis was taken out of the game as a precaution, and it sounds like he shouldn’t miss much time, if any.

“I’m walking around. It shouldn’t be anything like that,” Porzingis told reporters after Thursday's victory. “It should be much more clearer tomorrow. But I should have some bad pain but I’m not. I’m standing and doing everything so it’s just them being cautious and tomorrow when we find out, I’ll let you know.”

This appears to be the second bullet that Porzingis has dodged in just a matter of weeks. He turned his ankle in a game at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 29 against the Miami Heat, and the injury looked like it might be very serious. He only ended up missing two games, returning to the floor exactly a week later.

Nagging injuries have been a factor in Porzingis’ young NBA career. He played in 72 of the team’s 82 games as a rookie, and he missed 16 more games a season ago. Porzingis has already sat out four times this year, admitting that he might need elbow surgery in the offseason.

It isn’t just the fact that Porzingis gets banged up from time to time. New York has experienced so little success over the past 15 years that fans and the media alike seem to be waiting for disaster to strike.

The Knicks have won only a single playoff series in the last 18 years. The Carmelo Anthony Era brought mostly disappointment and losing seasons. The organization sent Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who visits MSG Saturday night, hoping Porzingis would blossom as the new face of the team.

Porzingis appears to be the superstar that New York has been searching for since Patrick Ewing was traded in 2000. His height, athletic ability and shooting touch make him unlike any player the NBA has ever seen. Even in the limited action he saw Thursday night, it's easy to see why he’s been dubbed the “unicorn.”

In his third season, Porzingis appears to be fulfilling the promise that he showed in his first two years, playing like one of the league’s top stars. His 25.5 points per game are good for eighth in the NBA, and he’s shooting a career-high 39.8 percent from three-point range. He’s establishing himself as an elite rim protector, ranking third with more than two blocks per contest.

Following a 111-104 win in Brooklyn, the Knicks are 15-13 and tied for the No.6 seed in the Eastern Conference. They are a legitimate playoff contender, hoping to reach the postseason for the first time since 2013.

If Porzingis can remain healthy, New York could have their best team in the last five years with an eye on becoming one of the conference’s best teams over the next few seasons. But the 22-year-old’s momentum has already been halted multiple times, leaving Knicks’ fans wondering when their greatest fear regarding Porzingis might finally be realized.