Celtics Praise Kristaps Porzingis’ NBA Finals Game 1 Performance: 'That's What We Need'

Bobby Krivitsky | Jun 7, 2024

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) in the first quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Kristaps Porzingis felt a tweak and slowly headed towards the locker room behind the Boston Celtics’ bench at Kaseya Center in Miami. He seemed as if he was ready to rip his jersey as he processed the anguish of another postseason injury.

Thirty-eight days later, the seven-foot-three center was ready for his first ever playoff game past the first round, with eruptions of cheers for him as he entered the floor for warmups with his espresso and when he checked in in the first quarter.

Porzingis came off the bench and ignited the crowd from the moment he checked in, with his 11 points on 4-5 from the field, his three blocks and three rebounds in the opening quarter. He looked like he had not lost a single step and he had never been injured with his attack and aggressiveness, explosion off the dribble. The unicorn really could not be tamed.

His good friend and teammate who also controlled the game in Jaylen Brown had plenty of praise for Porzingis.

“Kristaps had a monster game for us and just his presence shooting the ball and then him being able to attack those switches and mismatches, he made 'em pay every time, and that's what we need going forward in the series,” Brown said.

Following the ten days of rest and all the pin-pointing projections of controversy, the Celtics get out to a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals, defeating the Mavericks, 107-89.

The center made an immediate impact. Porzingis was brought to the Celtics in last offseason’s biggest blockbuster for Marcus Smart in order to add a whole new dimension for Boston and eliminate their stagnant isolation with some post play. The level of skill, size, and talent that Porzingis brings next to Brown and Jayson Tatum has been an unimaginable dream in the fitting piece that they have always needed.

“Yes, I think Kristaps has been great for us all season long,” Brown said. “I think he's a big reason why we've been the best team in basketball record-wise, at least, and having him back and him playing well and to that level he was during the season is so important for us because you got another defender, another shooter, out there that you have to respect. So that just opens it up for everybody else.”

It has become more and more clear that this 77-win Celtics’ team could be the NBA’s best since the Kevin Durant-Warriors, and there has not been a more significant acquisition a championship-caliber team that close has made since Kevin Durant went to Golden State, solidifying the team’s "Different Here" motto.

Porzingis has unlocked this Boston team this season. Mainly the Jays, as he eliminates some of the redundancy between Tatum and Brown with KP being a perfect running mate to Brown. The two have grown a stellar combination throughout the year and a highly-efficient two-man game of lob’s and all, earning themselves the cookies and cream nickname.

“It was amazing,” Brown said of Porzingis’ Finals debut. “Nobody's more proud and more excited for him than I am.”

Brown knew right away Porzingis looked 100 percent and like he had not skipped a beat.

“Yeah, was it the first or second quarter,” he said. “He just went on a run where he just, he hit the three, hit the middy, then ran back, got the block at the rim in transition. He was just making play after play and it was just like, all right, he's back, there was no question about it then. We need some more that have going forward for the rest of this series.”

Tatum knew that setting the tone for Game 1 was important for the Celtics, in displaying the historically dominant team that they have been all season long.

“I mean, you always want to have your team at full strength,” Tatum said. “We're a good team when guys are down, but we're really, really special when we have everybody. I said it earlier, how seamless his transition was after being away for six, seven weeks, and coming into the game and having a first half like that, that was a big spark for us to start the game.”

Al Horford knew how important Porzingis’ presence was as well.

 “It was great,” Horford said. “I was pleasantly surprised to see how good he looked. He was very fluid and a lot of energy and moving well. We know he can score, but defensively he looked really good as well.”

The Celtics will look to do it again on Sunday night, protecting the parquet floor to go up 2-0 on Dallas and take full control of the NBA Finals, with banner 18 feeling oh so close just three wins away.