On Monday night, the Boston Celtics kicked off their second-round playoff matchup against the New York Knicks. The winner of the series will advance to the conference finals. While the winner of Game 1 will not decide the series, it is still a crucial game for both teams to win.

Heading into halftime, the Celtics had a 16-point lead over the Knicks and were in the driver’s seat in Game 1. As they look to win the game to begin the series on a high note, they will aim to keep their foot on the pedal and secure the Game 1 victory. 

However, the Celtics made an announcement regarding Kristaps Porzingis that could make an impact in the game. 

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8).

© Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

In his second season in Boston, Porzingis continued to prove his worth to the team. He is valuable on both sides of the ball and completely changes the dynamic of this Celtics team. He did not look like himself in the first half, and made an early trip to the locker room.

The Celtics later announced he is questionable to return to Game 1 due to an illness. 

Before his exit, the Latvian native left a lot to be desired on the court. In 13 minutes of action, Porzingis missed all four of his field goal attempts and recorded just four rebounds and one assist. If he is unable to return, the Celtics will rely more heavily on Al Horford and Luke Kornet.

Regardless of whether Porzingis returns in the game or not, the Celtics will look to secure a 1-0 series lead over the Knicks on Monday. Until there are more updates, Porzingis’ status will be worth monitoring.