Kristaps Porzingis Suffers Thigh Injury vs. Pacers

The New York Knicks announced second-year big man Kristaps Porzingis suffered a contused left thigh during Tuesday's game against the Indiana Pacers and would not return.

Al Iannazzone of Newsday noted Porzingis was helped off the floor following a collision with Indiana guard Monta Ellis.

This is another setback for the versatile playmaker, who suffered ankle and Achilles injuries earlier this season.

Porzingis earned 2015-16 first-team All-Rookie honors with 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He has been even more effective this season with 18.1 points and 7.3 boards a night.

While New York is far from a legitimate contender, Porzingis is a foundational building block for the team. The last thing the Knicks need is for him to endure long-term complications from an injury heading into his promising prime, so they will assuredly exercise caution when determining his timetable to return.

The Knicks can rely on a combination of Lance Thomas and Mindaugas Kuzminskas in similar stretch forward roles while Porzingis is out. They also have Carmelo Anthony to carry the scoring load on a consistent basis and Willy Hernangomez in the frontcourt.

It is far more important for New York that Porzingis is healthy long term than whether he can finish out what has turned into a lost season.