This article is part of our NBA Injury Analysis series.
The Knicks big man has taken a big step forward in his second season in the league and developed into a top-25 fantasy player. However, a sore Achilles cost him his first game of the season late last week and could threaten to keep him off the court for more time moving forward. The pain in his Achilles first surfaced in New York's Christmas Day game against the Celtics. It lingered for the next week but worsened Saturday prior to a game against the Rockets.
The Knicks are downplaying the severity of the injury and have not yet scheduled an MRI for the area. However, there's an underlying concern that dates back to last season. Since the summer of 2015, Porzingis has dealt with multiple injuries on his left lower extremity. It started during a predraft workout with the Knicks when Porzingis reported tightness in his left hip. The issue resurfaced in summer league and again in the preseason. It was then reported as soreness in his iliotibial band, a band of connective tissue that runs from the hip to the knee and aids in knee stabilization. A left quadriceps strain followed the IT band injury, though the Latvian big man would not miss any games during the season. This year started off in similar fashion as Porzingis missed time in the preseason with soreness in his left groin. Now, with the Knicks in the midst of a four-game losing streak, Porzingis is dealing with soreness in the
The Knicks big man has taken a big step forward in his second season in the league and developed into a top-25 fantasy player. However, a sore Achilles cost him his first game of the season late last week and could threaten to keep him off the court for more time moving forward. The pain in his Achilles first surfaced in New York's Christmas Day game against the Celtics. It lingered for the next week but worsened Saturday prior to a game against the Rockets.
The Knicks are downplaying the severity of the injury and have not yet scheduled an MRI for the area. However, there's an underlying concern that dates back to last season. Since the summer of 2015, Porzingis has dealt with multiple injuries on his left lower extremity. It started during a predraft workout with the Knicks when Porzingis reported tightness in his left hip. The issue resurfaced in summer league and again in the preseason. It was then reported as soreness in his iliotibial band, a band of connective tissue that runs from the hip to the knee and aids in knee stabilization. A left quadriceps strain followed the IT band injury, though the Latvian big man would not miss any games during the season. This year started off in similar fashion as Porzingis missed time in the preseason with soreness in his left groin. Now, with the Knicks in the midst of a four-game losing streak, Porzingis is dealing with soreness in the Achilles on the same leg.
Porzingis' injuries have cascaded down his kinetic chain like ripples in a pond. The sheer number of problems suggests a potential imbalance or dysfunction somewhere in his left leg. It's also possible that the right knee contusion he suffered in December altered his movement patterns enough to throw off his left leg and is the actual root of his current problem. Even if his Achilles soreness is the result of an isolated event, it could still have a negative impact on the leg and his previous issues.
As a result, it may be in the team's best interest to take a conservative approach with Porzingis and pinpoint the source of the problem. Even if he's cleared to play in time for Monday's game, I wouldn't be surprised if he sits one of the games in the team's back-to-back set that concludes their week. Lance Thomas got the start in Porzingis' absence, but Joakim Noah seems to be the biggest beneficiary. He pulled down 16 boards, his third double-digit effort in New York's last four games. Noah's game remains a bit hot and cold but he's emerging as a decent source of rebounds and blocks.
Fast Breaks
Carmelo Anthony: Like Porzingis, Melo is dealing with an injury that seems minor on the surface but could be a bigger deal down the road. Anthony is dealing with soreness in his left knee. Anthony has history of left knee problems, including a partial patellar tendon tear that ended his 2014-15 season and required surgery. Hopefully the soreness is minor as it was last year when he missed three games at various points of the season, but fantasy owners should be keeping a close eye on the situation in the days and weeks ahead.
George Hill: The Jazz guard has flourished in Utah but an inability to remain healthy has limited his overall productivity. He has missed 21 games already this year due to thumb and big toe sprains. Now Hill will miss at least one more game with a concussion after he was inadvertently struck by an Alex Len elbow. The impact also resulted in a lacerated lip that required stitches. He's already been ruled out for Monday's game and will be unable to return until he's completed the league-mandated concussion protocol. The Jazz do play a league-best five times this week but Hill remains a risky play.
Kyrie Irving: The Cavaliers point guard is currently in danger of missing his second consecutive game with lingering tightness in his hamstring. It's encouraging that the team hasn't listed the problem as an actual strain yet, but that could simply be semantics. Cleveland has been cautious in their handling of the health of their stars and it wouldn't be unprecedented if they opted to hold him out for another game or two. The Cavs do have a four-game slate on tap, making a missed game early in the week a bit easier to stomach for those in weekly formats. Jordan McRae was impressive in his first start of the year, scoring 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including three of four from behind the arc. McRae has minimal long-term value but could be a nice plug-and-play option in daily fantasy formats.
Kawhi Leonard: Leonard was one of a handful of players to miss time recently with a stomach illness. The list of players to miss games due to illness includes Dirk Nowitzki, Avery Bradley and Omri Casspi. The spreading of illnesses is common in professional sports as locker rooms often host a variety of germs and other pathogens. While Leonard is back in uniform, getting sick, especially with a stomach bug, can drain a player of their energy and be a major step backward in terms of rhythm and conditioning. The All-Star forward appeared a bit out of sorts Saturday, scoring 13 points on 3-of-12 shooting. He should begin to show signs of improvement as he puts the illness further behind him, but scale back your expectations for the early part of the week.
Chris Paul: The Clippers have played five of their last six games without CP3 as he continues to battle lingering soreness in his previously strained left hamstring. Hamstring strains are particularly problematic for players who depend on their speed, making Paul's situation that much more difficult to manage. He's currently listed as doubtful for Monday's game against the Suns. Austin Rivers will continue to start in his absence.
Jeff Teague: Teague earned the dubious distinction of suffering 2017's first injury when he turned his left ankle in Sunday's game against the Magic. The sprain is far from Teague's first, as he has now sprained his left ankle in six straight seasons. Last year he rolled the ankle at least three times, including a sprain that cost him three games. X-rays on the joint were negative and he is considered day-to-day.
