Subscribe
Follow Us
Kristaps Porzingis has been labeled the X-factor in the long buildup to the 2024 NBA Finals. That might have been a big understatement.
The veteran center returned to action in Game 1 for the first time in over a month, and in doing so, helped the Boston Celtics accomplish something that has never been done before in the Finals. Porzingis scored 11 points off the bench in the first quarter, as the C's pulled ahead with a 37-20 advantage after 12 minutes of play.
“That 17-point Celtics lead marks the largest 1st quarter point differential ever in Game 1 of an NBA Finals,” The Boston Globe's Alex Speier posted on X. The good times kept rolling in the second quarter, with Boston plowing through Dallas with ease. Porzingis had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in only 13 minutes of playing time in the first half. The team with the best regular season record was up 63-42 at the break.
The Latvian big man is showing no signs of the calf injury he suffered in the first round of the playoffs versus the Miami Heat. His sublime footwork and smooth stroke is sending TD Garden into a state of pandemonium in what is quickly becoming one of the most memorable returns in recent memory.
Whether it is in the paint or from behind the 3-point line, Porzingis is decimating his opponent. He is also stumping the Mavericks on the defensive end, recording two blocks. Boston is doing an overall exemplary job of stifling Dallas, silencing Kyrie Irving to the delight of the raucous and vindictive crowd.
Luka Doncic leads all scorers at time of print, but he must also find a way to get his teammates involved if the Mavs are going to genuinely compete in Game 1.
Kristaps Porzingis has helped the Celtics reach another gear in 2023-24
Article Continues Below
The basketball world's faith in Boston significantly diminished after the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-led squad lost to the Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, which followed a lackluster postseason rife with unforeseen adversity and sloppy play. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens recognized that the Celtics were stagnating and decided to embark on a watershed offseason.
Trading for both Porzingis and Jrue Holiday vaulted the franchise to another level. Boston won 64 games during the season and entered the playoffs as the title favorite. These additions have given the team more credibility, balance and talent. But the moves are also paying off for the players.
Kristaps Porzingis is emanating more joy than seemingly ever before, meshing tremendously well with the Celtics. While he is not looking to be “The Guy,” the 28-year-old totaled 20.1 points and 1.9 blocks per game in 2023-24. This career renaissance is continuing in the postseason.
On a night when the Celtics honored the late-great Bill Walton, a man whose arrival immediately resulted in a championship victory, it feels sort of poetic to see another big-man acquisition excel in the NBA Finals. Porzingis and Boston hope to write their own gripping tale of redemption versus the Mavericks, starting in Game 1.
