Warriors' Porzingis suffers back injury in loss to Pistons

Latvian star believes soreness should go away quickly, likely to miss next game

Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:05am

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Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis left Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons due to a back injury. Porzingis said he started feeling back spasms in the first quarter and the tightness worsened after the game. He believes the soreness should go away quickly but will likely miss the team's next game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Why it matters

Porzingis has been a key addition to the Warriors this season, averaging nearly 15 points per game. His health will be crucial as the team pushes for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The details

Porzingis played just 11 minutes and scored 5 points before leaving the game in the second quarter. He told reporters he could move around while warm, but the tightness increased after the game. Porzingis has dealt with back issues earlier in his career but has been able to manage them recently.

  • Porzingis began feeling back spasms in the first quarter of the game against the Pistons on March 21, 2026.
  • Porzingis left the game in the second quarter on March 21, 2026.
  • The Warriors will face the Atlanta Hawks on March 22, 2026, and Porzingis said he will "probably" not play in that game.

The players

Kristaps Porzingis

A Latvian professional basketball player who was recently traded to the Golden State Warriors.

Steve Kerr

The head coach of the Golden State Warriors.

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What they’re saying

“I kind of started feeling it from the first quarter. It started spasming up a bit, and I tried to move, and while I was warm, I was okay. But even on that one play, I kind of felt a little spasm.”

— Kristaps Porzingis

“I saw him [post-game], and he said it was his back that had started to tighten up, and then there was the play where the ball was deflected off his hand, he got a little push in the back, and that aggravated it a little bit.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors

What’s next

The Warriors will face the Atlanta Hawks on March 22, 2026, and Porzingis said he will "probably" not play in that game.

The takeaway

Porzingis' back injury is a concern for the Warriors, who have relied on his scoring and rebounding since acquiring him this season. The team will need to carefully monitor his recovery and determine if he can return in time to help their playoff push.