Porzingis finally shakes mysterious illness and scores 24 points in return to the Celtics' lineup

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Porzingis finally shakes mysterious illness and scores 24 points in return to the Celtics' lineup

2025-03-16 09:48 Last Updated At：09:51

NEW YORK (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis kept working to return, only to get knocked back again by a mysterious illness that sapped his strength.

He finally felt well enough to play again Saturday night, and his big finish showed why the Boston Celtics believe they are so much more dangerous with their man in the middle.

Porzingis scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter after missing the previous eight games, helping the Celtics hold on for a 115-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

“Honestly as the game went on I felt better and better,” Porzingis said. “Kind of had a little crash in the third, but pushed through it and I had a great fourth, and it was a close one but I’m happy we got it done.”

The 7-foot-3 center hadn't played since Feb. 26 in a loss at Detroit. His illness began with what he said was an upper respiratory infection that turned into something worse, perhaps bronchitis. He said testing never determined exactly what it was, though he was negative for mononucleosis.

“It was extremely, extremely frustrating just not knowing what I had,” Porzingis said.

He tried to come back for a showdown at home against the Lakers on March 8, pushing himself through a hard workout the day before.

“But then the crash I had was, like, historic the next day,” he said. “I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to shootaround.”

He tried again that night but realized his energy was still so low that he wouldn't help the team. A week later, he said he still didn't feel perfect but good enough to give it a go. Coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game Porzingis had a restriction of about 32 minutes, longer than Porzingis expected to play.

“Today I thought I was going to play like 20 minutes, but Joe told me mid-fourth, he was like, ‘I’m not going to take you out,’” Porzingis said. “So just bite down and let’s go.”

He ended up at 32 after playing the entire period, and had a three-point play and his only 3-pointer on consecutive possessions midway through the quarter that made it 100-92 after the Nets had cut a 21-point deficit to two.

Porzingis came in averaging 18.9 points but has been limited to just 33 games and Saturday was only his fourth game since the All-Star break. Mazzulla said the Latvian has remained optimistic even throughout his absences.

“When he’s able to play, he always plays,” Mazzulla said, “and when he’s not, he does the necessary steps, whether it’s in the weight room, on the court or in the training room to try to put himself in position to play.”

Derrick White (bruised left knee) and Al Horford (sprained left big toe) sat out Saturday on the second night of back-to-back games after the defending NBA champions won in Miami on Friday and clinched a playoff spot. The Celtics then lost Jaylen Brown in the second half to lower back spasms.

But having Porzingis back was good enough to pull them through.

“He’s been really, really sick, dealing with an illness, so just for him to get back and get his rhythm back is good for us, especially at this stretch before the playoffs,” guard Payton Pritchard said. “Get his legs under him.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Two late goals as Barcelona rallies to beat Atletico Madrid 4-2

2025-03-17 07:29 Last Updated At：07:30

MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid relinquished a two-goal lead in its 4-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league on Sunday in another setback for the club after it was eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Playing at the Metropolitano stadium four days after it lost to Madrid in a penalty shootout, Atletico led Barcelona 2-0 at halftime but conceded a pair of stoppage-time goals to waste a chance to overtake the Catalan club for second place and move within a point of league leader Madrid.

“It was a weird game, we did well in the first half and had the game under control after scoring twice,” Atletico player Marcos Llorente said. “I do think that the 120 minutes that we had to play in the Champions League made a difference, there was a letdown in the end.”

The defeat left Atletico four points behind its two rivals in the league, with Barcelona having a game in hand. Madrid won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday.

Lamine Yamal scored two minutes into stoppage time and Ferran Torres six minutes later to give Barcelona the gritty come-from-behind victory.

“It’s a statement win for us, allowing us to regain the lead with a game in hand,” Yamal said.

Julián Álvarez had put Atletico ahead after a breakaway just before halftime. It had been an unusual double touch by Álvarez in the penalty shootout against Madrid that led to Atletico's elimination from the Champions League on Wednesday.

Atletico added to the lead with a goal by substitute Alexander Sorloth from inside the area in the 70th. Robert Lewandowski, the league's leading scorer, gave Barcelona hope by finding the net in the 72nd, and Torres equalized with a header after a cross by Raphinha in the 78th.

“We have to congratulate them,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “There was a bit of luck, which you must have sometimes. We had a few chances in counterattacks but didn’t take advantage of them. Barcelona is a great team."

Atletico beat Barcelona 2-1 when the teams met in Barcelona in their first Spanish league match of the season in December. They drew 4-4 in a first-leg match in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey last month. The second leg is in April.

Athletic Bilbao solidified its fourth place with a 1-0 win at Sevilla.

Yeray Álvarez scored with a header in the 84th to give Athletic the away victory and an eight-point gap to fifth-placed Villarreal, which has a game in hand.

It was Athletic's second win in a row after three straight matches without a victory across all tournaments. It came off a 3-1 win over Roma to reach the quarterfinals of the Europa League.

Sixth-placed Real Betis rallied from two goals down at halftime to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Leganes, with Cucho Hernández scoring the winner in the 82nd.

The hosts had taken the lead with Dani Raba scoring in the 29th and 44th before Betis equalized through Isco in the 64th and Cédric Bakambu in the 78th.

It was the third straight victory for Betis in all competitions, and the second loss in a row for 18th-placed Leganes.

Also Sunday, ninth-placed Rayo Vallecano drew 2-2 at home with 12th-placed Real Sociedad, which is winless in six consecutive games in all competitions. Rayo is winless in five straight league matches.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer