Celtics
Saturday night appeared to be business as usual for Kristaps Porzingis. After a slow begin to the season after getting back from injury in November, Porzingis seemingly did all the things he normally would in Boston's win over the Chicago Bulls.
He scored 22 points, second most on the team behind Jayson Tatum's 43-point triple-double, added seven rebounds and two blocks and managed a dunk within the win.
But when asked if he would finally rejoin Kristaps Porzingis tonight, who helped lead Boston on its championship run, the 7-foot-3 center hesitated.
“Honestly, I still get there. I want to feel a little better,” Porzingis said. “I know I'm playing a little better, but my rates aren't perfect. I don't feel my shot perfect. … I know I can play a lot better.
“…I just still feel like I need to conserve some energy. But overall, I’m getting there, and as soon as I get there, you’ll know and I’ll let you know.”
Porzingis has proven that when healthy, he’s the proper addition to Boston's starting lineup. His ability to protect a few of one of the best players within the league while also scoring at multiple levels and stretching the ground is an ideal fit for Joe Mazzulla's systems each offensively and defensively.
However, Porzingis has had some issues staying on the court for prolonged periods of time, as was the case throughout his decade-long NBA profession.
Despite his limited sample size this season, there hasn't been a very notable decline in his offensive game. He is averaging 19.1 points per game, one point lower than last season, and seven.1 rebounds per game, just shy of his 7.2 per game within the 2023-24 season.
A healthy Porzingis makes it even harder to stop an already dangerous Boston unit, so the Celtics are undoubtedly looking forward to him getting back to 100% in the approaching weeks.
image credit : www.boston.com