Porzingis diagnosed with POTS, set to manage symptoms with Hawks

Kristaps Porzingis said this offseason he was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, the condition that sidelined and sapped the energy of the former Celtics big man late in the 2024-25 season and through the playoffs. Porzingis, who was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in July, reported his symptoms began in late February, forced him to miss multiple games and left him markedly diminished during Boston's postseason run.

POTS is a circulation disorder that can cause an abnormally fast heart rate upon standing, along with dizziness and severe fatigue. Porzingis said his heart rate sometimes climbed to about 130 beats per minute when he stood up, while remaining normal when he was lying down. "It hit me, and it hit me like a truck," he said. "The breathing wasn't good. I did everything I could potentially to feel as good as I could, but my engine wasn't running the way I wanted." He also described episodes in which he could "just lay on the couch and be a house cat."

Porzingis first missed nine games in March with what the Celtics initially called a viral illness. He returned for Boston's final regular-season games but showed pronounced decline in the...