Latvian basketball player of the National Basketball Association (NBA) club Golden State Warriors Kristaps Porziņģis has recovered from injury and is ready to take the court, the athlete himself said in a conversation with journalists on Wednesday, LETA reports.
"I feel good and ready to get back on the court," said Porziņģis on Wednesday, who has yet to debut with his new team.
The Latvian last played in early January for the Atlanta Hawks, and two weeks ago he was traded to the Warriors, while forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield went the other way.
Porziņģis's debut with the Golden State club is scheduled for Friday morning Latvian time, when the Warriors will host the Boston Celtics, with whom the native of Liepaja became an NBA champion in 2024.
Having not played for over a month due to an Achilles tendon inflammation, Porziņģis noted that he had been training hard even before the NBA All-Star break last week and had a few days of rest, which allowed him to prepare. He is not sure if he will take the court on Friday, but expressed his willingness to play and accept the limited playing time that head coach Steve Kerr warned about.
"I used to hate playing in short bursts. Especially when coming back from injury," said the 30-year-old basketball player. "When you play in short bursts, it’s hard to find your rhythm. But now I’m experienced and can jump right into the game. Unfortunately, this has happened several times in my career."
In the remaining games of the season, Porziņģis wants to improve his form with each game, get more playing time, and finish the year on a positive note, as this season has been disrupted for him due to injuries.
"This season has been tougher for me than others," Porziņģis said. "Especially after such good preparation in the summer. Now I need to take it step by step."
Due to injuries and illnesses, the Latvian has played only 16 games this season. On average, Porziņģis scored 17.1 points per game, grabbed 5.1 rebounds, and provided 2.7 assists.
In his ten seasons in the NBA, the Warriors will be Porziņģis's sixth team. Previously, the native of Liepaja also played for the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics, and Hawks.
The Warriors, with a record of 29-26, are in eighth place in the Western Conference.
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