Going into the season, Luke Kornet‘s role within the Boston Celtics’ rotation was unclear. However, more than halfway into the season, Kornet has become a mainstay in the Celtics’ rotation and has proven to be an integral part of Boston’s success. Kornet is averaging a career-high 17 minutes and 5.2 rebounds; he is also averaging 5.1 points per game. While these, numbers may not jump off the page, Kornet’s importance to the Celtics’ center rotation can’t be understated. Let’s explore Kornet’s impact this season.
Luke Kornet is Proving His Value to the Celtics This Season
Kornet’s Offensive Impact
Offensively, Kornet is an efficient lob threat and effective screen setter. Kornet’s interior presence gives the Celtics a source of efficient offense, which is particularly important for a team that rarely gets shots at the rim. His true shooting percentage of 67 is among the best in the league. Additionally, his presence as a screener helps open up easy shots for himself and his teammates. Kornet averages 1.9 screen assists per game, which translates to 5.1 points off his screens. He also averages 1.26 points per possession on pick-n-roll plays, good for the 78th percentile. Four out of the five most used lineups featuring Kornet have a positive net rating, with three of these lineups posting a net rating above 10.
Kornet has started in six games this season; in these games, he has posted averages of 11.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. The Celtics have a 4-2 record in these games. In a recent game against the Houston Rockets, Kornet started with Al Horford and Derrick White out; he poured in 18 points and seven rebounds.
Great effort by Luke Kornet tonight, stepping in at the last second for a spot start.
18 points on 8-of-9 shooting
7 rebounds
4 dunks
1 steal, 1 block pic.twitter.com/PdOhrPypxj— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 28, 2025
Kornet’s ability to provide efficient offense in games without Kristaps Porzingis or Horford is incredibly valuable for the Celtics. Given Porzingis’ injury history and Horford’s age, having a backup big man you can trust, like Kornet, is crucial. When those two are healthy, Kornet gives the Celtics a nice spark off the bench; when one or both of them are out, Kornet steps up and plays big minutes.
Kornet’s Defensive Impact
Defensively, Kornet is a high-quality shot blocker and rebounder. Impressively, Kornet leads the Celtics with a 15.1 net rating. Moreover, with Kornet on the court, the Celtics have a 103.7 defensive rating (which translates to the league’s best defense), with him off the court, the Celtics have a 111 defensive rating. Impressively, Kornet ranks within the top for defensive LEBRON.
The top 10 in D-LEBRON
1. Goga Bitadze
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Jonathan Isaac
4. Isaiah Stewart
5. Donovan Clingan
6. Isaiah Hartenstein
7. Luke Kornet
8. Ivica Zubac
9. Tari Eason
10. Rudy Gobert— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) January 25, 2025
Kornet posts a defensive field goal percentage of 45.5 and 51.1 percent at the rim. His DFG% at the rim this season ranks second among Celtics with only Porzingis above him. The 29-year-old big man’s defense has been a massive area of improvement this season. At 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Kornet’s size allows him to be a quality rim protector. While he is not the most mobile center and still gets exposed on switches, his rim protection is highly valuable and has been noticeably better this season. In the past 15 games, Boston allows just 42.9 points in the paint per game, which ranks first in the league; along with Porzingis, Kornet has been crucial to the Celtics’ elite paint defense. Kornet’s ability to defend the paint also helps the Celtics run a versatile defensive scheme on the perimeter at all times.
The Last Word
Ultimately, Kornet’s emergence has been a bright spot for the Celtics this season. Kornet’s impact on both ends negates many concerns about the Celtics’ center rotation. He will continue to be an important player for Boston as the playoffs near. Last year, in the playoffs, Kornet saw his minutes drop from 15.6 to 10.2 per game, he also received three DNPs. However, given his stellar season, Kornet likely won’t have such a drop in minutes come playoff time, and he will continue to be a solid contributor for the Celtics.
Photo credit: © Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
