Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic made it clear that he has Kristaps Porzingis' back despite the latter's early season struggles.
Porzingis, who has been way off in the Mavs' past few games, is also facing the biggest game of his career as he returns to the Big Apple to face his former team.
This guy is only 20? @luka7doncic on @kporzee and tomorrow at MSG:
“We’ve got to stick together. I’m going to help him out. The players are going to help him out. The coaches. Everybody’s got his back. We’re just going to get through this as a team.”
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) November 13, 2019
Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 18.3 points and 7.9 rebounds this season, but he only scored four points in the Mavs' 116-106 loss to the Boston Celtics on Monday — shooting an abysmal 1-of-11 from the field.
Article Continues BelowHowever, Luka Doncic and the rest of the Mavs franchise are being patient on Porzingis, who played this season after missing more than a year because of his ACL injury. The 24-year-old still shows some obvious signs of rust, but he is expected to get his rhythm back as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, Luka has been doing everything that he can for the Mavericks. He's averaging close to a triple-double with 28.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 9.1 assists this season. Dallas is currently seventh in the loaded Western Conference with a 6-4 record.
The Mavericks put a lot of their faith on Porzingis, whom they believe is the perfect complimentary player for Doncic. It is one of the main reasons why they traded for him last season despite the uncertainties about his health.
If Porzingis can play the way he did back in the 2017-18 season, the Mavs will be a force to be reckoned with. At this point, their only focus is to make the playoffs, but if KP and Luka continue to improve and play well together, don't be surprised if Dallas pulls multiple upsets in the postseason.