In a somewhat surprising fashion, Kristaps Porzingis returned to the court on Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Porzingis had been sidelined after undergoing a rare foot/ankle surgery in June. Despite having a 14-3 record without Porzingis, the Boston Celtics had several problems during his absence. Moreover, Porzingis raises the upside of this team and makes them truly unstoppable. Let’s dive into the significant impact of Porzingis’ return.
Kristaps Porzingis’ Return Changes Everything for the Celtics
Problems Without Porzingis
Offense
With 39.3 points in the paint per game, the Celtics rank dead last, however, last season, Boston averaged 47 points in the paint. In Porzingis’ first game back, the Celtics scored 46 points in the paint. Getting Porzingis back unlocks a new element in the Celtics’ offense, giving them an efficient post-up and vertical lob threat. In his first game back, Porzingis played in 23 minutes and notched 16 points, notably, five of his field goals were in the paint, with four of them being at the rim. His play was central to the Celtics’ 126-94 win over the Clippers, moving Boston to 15-3 on the season.
Porzingis’ paint presence, paired with his elite floor spacing, opens up the game for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Porzingis’ presence especially elevates Brown as a playmaker. Even without Porzingis, the Celtics had the third-best offense however, expect them to reclaim the league’s best offense with KP back in the mix. Ultimately, he makes the Celtics’ offense more dominant and versatile.
Porzingis in his season debut:
16 points (6/12 FG)
6 rebounds
2 assistsI’m definitely impressed.
— CelticsUnite (@CelticsUnite18) November 26, 2024
Defense
Defensively, Porzingis’ impact is just as, if not more vital. Without Porzingis, the Celtics ranked 26th in opponent points in the paint with 52.9 last year; they ranked 9th with 47.7 points per game. Furthermore, the Celtics ranked 21st in rebounding (42.6 per game) without Porzingis compared to first in the league last year with 46.4 rebounds.
The Celtics also fell from first in the league in blocks per game last year to 14th this season. Porzingis’ impact as a rim protector was on full display in his return game as he grabbed six boards and recorded two blocks. With Porzingis back, expect the Celtics’ eighth-ranked defense to move closer to last year’s second-ranked defense.
Kristaps Porzingis has made a huge impact defending the rim so far – an area in which the Celtics have been looking to improve lately pic.twitter.com/vQE1BPTzyv
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) November 26, 2024
With Porzingis, the Celtics’ entire starting lineup is all-defensive caliber, which is unheard of. When Porzingis was out of the lineup, the big men especially the backup centers were constantly attacked. This won’t happen with Porzingis in the lineup as he is a highly versatile defender. Porzingis’ presence also allows Jrue Holiday and Derrick White to roam and wreak havoc off the ball more. Alternatively, Holiday can guard more centers, allowing Porzingis to roam in a “free safety” role. The defensive versatility and scheme options with Porzingis are off the charts. Overall, Porzingis’ return solves several problems, making the Celtics’ defense impenetrable.
The Celtics’ Center Rotation
Al Horford
It’s worth wondering how Porzingis‘ return impacts the Celtics’ center rotation. Al Horford started in his place, averaging 27.9 minutes per night, which isn’t far off from his 26.8 minutes per game last season. Horford filled in brilliantly, averaging 10.1 points on 44.6 percent shooting from three-point land while being an impressively switchable defender for a 38-year-old. While he will return to the bench, Horford will remain a crucial part of Boston’s success, and his minutes will only be slightly reduced.
Additionally, look for Joe Mazzulla to deploy some double-big lineups with Porzingis and Horford. Notably, this duo posted an impressive 13 net rating in nearly 600 minutes last season. With Porzingis’ extensive injury, expect him to play within the mid to high 20s for minutes. Last season he averaged 29.6 per game this number will likely be slightly reduced. The Celtics will also likely stagger Porzingis and Horford on back-to-back games.
Queta and Kornet
Backup centers Neemias Queta and Luke Kornet will be the most impacted by Porzingis’ return in terms of playing time, without Porzingis they averaged 19.2 and 17.2 minutes, respectively. After receiving lackluster minutes last season, Queta broke into the Celtics rotation as a high-energy rim runner and rebounder, averaging 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. While he is a high-quality rebounder, lob threat, and shot blocker, Queta was put through countless actions on the perimeter and isn’t the most switchable defender. Queta receiving 12-14 minutes per game would get the most out of his skill set while covering his deficiencies.
Kornet is an effective lob threat and shot blocker but struggles immensely to guard the pick-n-roll or to switch onto smaller defenders. When Porzingis was out, it felt Queta earned to be a mainstay in the Celtics’ rotation over Kornet. While Kornet can be used on special occasions, he shouldn’t be a regular part of Boston’s rotation. Similarly, Xavier Tillman struggled to get minutes without Porzingis, making it unlikely that we will see much of him in the rotation going forward.
The Last Word
Ultimately, Porzingis’ impact is tremendous, and he solves multiple problems for the Celtics. He adds another dimension to Boston’s offense while elevating the team’s defense and shoring up their center rotation. The Celtics were already dominant and title favorites without Porzingis. Now, the Celtics are in their own class and are clear favorites to repeat as champions.
