The Boston Celtics utilized their Latvian cheat code in opposition to Chicago final night time. Kristaps Porzingis has been on a roll currently, however his efficiency in opposition to the Bulls put an exclamation level on his latest stretch of spectacular basketball. Whereas it is going to be exhausting to ever high his efficiency in Sport 1 of the NBA Finals, the present that Kristaps Porzingis placed on in opposition to the Bulls reminded Celtics followers why he’s the unique unicorn.
The beginning 5 that rolled to 64 wins final season has not skilled the identical dominance within the 2024-2025 season. Since Kristaps Porzingis’ return, the beginning 5 has been a internet damaging when sharing the court docket. In 315 minutes this season, the group of Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Vacation, and Derrick White have a -1.47 internet score, a quantity that will have been inconceivable after final season’s dominance.
That is the place the previous adage, “correlation doesn’t equal causation” is available in. Whereas I concede that the primary few video games again from damage for KP led to some clunkiness, the explanation for these numbers being down from final 12 months has much less to do with Porzingis and much more to do with the struggles of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White over the previous month.
In Kristaps Porzingis’ final 10 video games he’s placing up 21.6 factors, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, on 68% true taking pictures whereas holding opposing gamers taking pictures within the restricted space to 58.4%, a rim safety quantity that will rank Porzingis third amongst all defenders who’ve contested at the least 200 makes an attempt on the rim for the season. And that’s why they referred to as him The Unicorn. There are possibly two different gamers within the league able to offering that mix of scoring quantity and effectivity whereas additionally pairing it with elite rim safety: Victory Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.
One thing I’ve liked about KP’s latest stretch of play is how he has been seeking to be aggressive early in video games.
“I all the time take pleasure in beginning the sport aggressively. And final recreation, I simply, , shot a path three, which seems form of ridiculous, for like some 7’3 man operating up the court docket and ‘pew.’ However my rhythm is admittedly good and I really feel the is shot actually good. And I’m trusting myself to make that shot, and these guys are trusting me.”
Within the first quarter in opposition to the Bulls, Kristaps Porzingis put up 15 factors.
The Celtics received the title final season. You’re welcome for the reminder. However what tends to occur after groups win the title is the remainder of the league hundreds as much as attempt to cease you.
Jaylen Brown outlined how he thinks groups are attempting to decelerate this 12 months’s Boston Celtics.
“They’re attempting to get us off the three-point line. Groups are attempting to pressure us into robust threes or get us off the three-point line. We simply gotta stability it. When to shoot it, when to drive it, get into the paint. Trigger it’s quite a bit totally different while you make the protection collapse versus simply passing it across the perimeter.”
If groups are guarding the Celtics in a different way, then KP has began to determine the way to break these defenses down.
“Some video games they simply fully take away my three, after which each basket I’ve to earn with meat….that possibly kinda sounded loopy. However I’ve to go within the paint and struggle and get fouled. And a few video games they’re doubling JT…I’m nonetheless serious about that…after which they’re blitzing him, and we have now to make the following play out of that, after which I’m getting open photographs, and I don’t must work as exhausting to get factors. And that’s the cool a part of this workforce; we’re selfless on this means.”
I believe that’s a salient level from KP. Early on, when he initially returned from damage, the workforce pressured it to him within the put up. The workforce needed to get Porzingis going and make the most of a skillset they have been lacking. He’s the mismatch killer.
However what makes KP particular is not only his capability to punish mismatches, it’s his capability to stretch the protection out to 30 ft together with his taking pictures. And what makes the Celtics robust to protect is that they have guys who can punish defenses in numerous methods. Towards the Bulls, the protection was trapping and blitzing Jayson Tatum, leaving KP open for 3. Different nights, groups will swap, and people are the nights to hunt the best mismatches.
“It’s robust, it’s scary, when KP is taking pictures the ball like that with confidence, it opens it up for everyone else,” Brown mentioned. “That’s what I wish to see. KP had an ideal recreation tonight. We simply gotta preserve constructing. “
