BOSTON, MA — Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis waited his entire career to be on a championship contender. But due to an untimely calf strain in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, he had to watch his teammates battle it out in the Eastern Conference Finals without him.
Nearly a month after his initial injury, Porzingis returned for the C's on the biggest stage: the NBA Finals. And even though the Latvian big man came off the bench, it was truly a triumphant return.
Porzingis recorded 20 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in just 21 minutes of play in Game 1 against the Dallas Mavericks. Thanks to his hot start, the Celtics jumped out to an early lead and were able to hold on and win 107-89 on Thursday night.
“Obviously it wasn't ideal that I was out for such a long time, but I did everything I could to prepare mentally for this moment coming back and it paid off and we got the job done tonight,” Porzingis said in his postgame press conference.
The first-year Celtic has enjoyed his time in Beantown and quickly befriended star teammate Jaylen Brown after getting traded this past offseason. Their relationship off the court has helped them build synergy while in the heat of a game.
“It was amazing,” Brown told the media when asked for his opinion on Porzingis' performance. “Nobody's more proud and more excited for him than I am.”
How Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown captured Game 1 for the Celtics
Game 1 was a bit of a rarity for both teams. Only one player, Mavericks star Luka Doncic, scored over 22 points and Porzingis wasn't in the starting lineup for just the second time in his entire career.
Despite this adjustment, Porzingis didn't appear rusty in his Finals debut.
“I was completely just in the game,” he stated with a smile. “That's the best feeling. Like, I had the most fun and, yeah, and I hope to have more of those moments going forward.”
At halftime, Porzingis led all scorers with 18 points on a spectacular 7-for-9 shooting from the field. His ability to rise up over defenders and splash tough jumpers was a huge boon for the Celtics' offense.
On the defensive end, the 7-foot-2 big served his role as an elite shot blocker and gave Dallas a lot of trouble at the rim. With his three rejections, Porzingis out-blocked the Mavericks (3-1) by himself.
“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.”
Along with Porzingis, Brown was also a two-way problem for the Mavs. The 2024 All-Star finished with a team-high 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the floor. In addition, Brown had an impressive three steals and three blocks on the night.
“Just trying to make some plays, get my team going,” Brown responded when asked about his defensive effort. “Defense is what we got to hang our hat on.”
While he's not typically known for his defense, Brown received a few NBA All-Defensive Team votes this season. He made it clear on Thursday night that he's much more than just a crafty scorer.
A Game 1 victory was nice for Brown and company, yet they know it's far from the end goal. The three-time All-Star repeatedly stressed during his postgame presser that this was only one win and there was plenty of more work to do.
“Next game, I'm sure they will make adjustments,” he said. “We got to be able to read it on the fly and make plays. Guys got to step up … Everybody got to be ready to go.”
Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals tips off on Sunday night in Beantown.
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