In a major blow to the Dallas Mavericks, center Kristaps Porzingis has been officially ruled out for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. The announcement came just two hours before tip-off on Wednesday night.

Porzingis, who was the first player on the court for the team's shootaround earlier in the day, ultimately couldn't give it a go due to a serious left leg injury. The Celtics' head coach, Joe Mazzulla, stated that the medical team made the decision to sit Porzingis out of the game to avoid any further damage.

The injury, diagnosed as a torn medial retinaculum with dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon, was initially reported on Tuesday. It is unrelated to Porzingis' previous calf injury in his right leg that kept him sidelined for most of the playoffs.

Porzingis suffered the new injury during the third quarter of Game 2, seemingly tweaking his right calf. However, both he and Coach Mazzulla downplayed any concerns at the time. Now, with Porzingis out, the Celtics will face a different challenge in limiting Dallas' offensive threats without his strong rim protection and stellar defense.

As a key player off the bench, Porzingis has had a significant impact in the first two games of the Finals. He scored 20 points in Game 1 and contributed 12 points in Game 2, using his floor spacing to put pressure on the Mavericks' defense.

While the Celtics have been successful without him in previous games, Porzingis' absence does present an opportunity for the Mavericks to close the series gap. The team will need to find an effective way to fill the void left by their injured center in order to compete against the Celtics' strong lineup.

The Mavericks will undoubtedly miss Porzingis' shot-blocking abilities and defensive presence. Meanwhile, the Celtics will aim to capitalize on his absence and maintain their 2-0 series lead.

The injury situation raises questions about Porzingis' availability for future games in the Finals. However, for now, the focus remains on Game 3 and how both teams will adjust their strategies in light of his absence.