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The Boston Celtics are back in full force. After sitting out most of the playoffs due to injury, Kristaps Porzingis is returning to the Celtics' lineup for the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. In an intriguing twist, though, Boston is switching it up for the Finals.
According to Shams Charania, the Celtics will NOT be placing Kristaps Porzingis in the starting lineup of Game 1 of the Finals. Instead, veteran Al Horford will take his spot instead. A curious move, indeed.
“Celtics will bring Kristaps Porzingis off the bench in Game 1 of NBA Finals vs. Mavericks – starting Al Horford at center.”
All season long, the Celtics have rocked a “small-ball” starting lineup with Porzingis starting at center. It worked pretty well, with Porzingis being flanked by Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and the Jays Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. With the star center suffering an injury in the playoffs, Boston went with the always-reliable Horford to start at center.
Considering Porzingis' injury, the Celtics are right in taking precaution with his injury. Lower leg injuries, if not properly taken care of, can lead to other lower leg injuries. That being said, Porzingis wouldn't want to miss this game for the world. Despite him not starting, expect the star to play significant but reasonable minutes in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Porzingis and Celtics' NBA Finals run
Once again, the Celtics find themselves back in the NBA Finals. A few years ago, they were in this exact same spot, only to lose to the Golden State Warriors. While the main core is back in the Finals, the supporting cast around them is drastically different. In particular, replacing Robert Williams as the Celtics' other center is Kristaps Porzingis.
After a quietly productive season in Washington, the Celtics acquired Porzingis in the offseason. It was part of a massive overhaul that saw Boston trade Marcus Smart and Williams in separate deals. With Porzingis in the lineup, Boston soared to the top of the NBA food chain. The center brought the same shotblocking as Williams but with more versatility on the offensive side of the ball.
This Finals matchup between the Celtics and the Mavericks is a little emotionally charged. There's obviously the whole Kyrie Irving angle between Boston and him, but Porzingis has some history with Dallas as well. The star center was part of the many moves Dallas made to try and support Luka Doncic. That partnership never worked as intended, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
Both teams are set to start their games soon. The Celtics have faced depleted teams so far this season, but Dallas is still pretty healthy for the most part. With Porzingis back in the fold, how good with the Celtics this time around in the Finals.
