Kristaps Porziņģis is quietly one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. The 7-foot-2 big man transforms the Boston Celtics’ defense with his elite rim protection and versatility. Impressively, Porziņģis leads the league in rim defensive field goal percentage vs. expected, with a -14.7 percentage difference this stat shows how much worse (or better) opposing players shoot at the rim when contested by a specific player. Porziņģis posts a DFG of 48.5 at the rim and a 43.3 DFG overall. Let’s dive further into Porziņģis’ incredible defensive impact.
View this post on Instagram
Crucial Stat Highlights Kristaps Porziņģis’ Defensive Impact
Porziņģis’ elite rim protection numbers are more impressive when considering his 16.3 contested shots lead the team by a sizeable margin and are among the most in the league. He also ranks in the 85th percentile in estimated defensive plus-minus. Porziņģis averages 1.6 blocks, 0.8 steals and 6.9 rebounds. On the season, Boston has the sixth-best paint defense, and Porziņģis is the main reason for this dominance. Moreover, since Porziņģis’ return in November, the Celtics have the second-best paint defense. Likewise, the Celtics have the fifth-best defense overall and the second-best defense since Porziņģis’ return. He is also a highly versatile defender capable of guarding perimeter players on switches.
Porziņģis’ rim protection and versatility allow the Celtics to run a variety of schemes, including double-big lineups. In double-big lineups with Porziņģis and Al Horford, the Celtics have a 106.8 defensive rating and a 6.9 net rating. Porzingis’ presence also empowers Derrick White and Jrue Holiday to be more active as off-ball disruptors. As the playoffs approach, this versatile defensive scheme will help the Celtics match up with any team.
Double-big lineups could be a huge X-Factor for the Celtics in the playoffs, and the stats are insane pic.twitter.com/cv9Yq6fwN4
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) February 18, 2025
Fellow Celtics’ big man Luke Kornet ranks sixth in DFG percentage vs expected, with a 50.9 DFG percentage at the rim and a -11.5 percentage difference. Kornet’s impact has been vital for maintaining the Celtics’ elite rim protection when Porziņģis is off the court or out of the lineup entirely. Having a backup big man with a similar skill set is a necessity for the Celtics’ scheme, especially considering Porziņģis’ injury history.
A Healthy Porziņģis is Key to the Celtics’ Title Chances
One of the major talking points with Porziņģis will always be his health. In the playoffs last year, Porziņģis only played in seven games after suffering a calf injury in the first round and a rare leg injury in the NBA Finals. While the Celtics would go on to win the championship largely without Porziņģis, he has become more important this year, especially when considering the improvements of other teams around the league most notably the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams often run double-big lineups so having Porziņģis healthy will be needed to match up against them.
Porziņģis’ elite defense will be needed to contain these threats or other possible opponents, such as the Denver Nuggets. In the 36 games he’s played this season, Porziņģis has looked like his normal elite self. The Celtics have taken a cautious approach with Porziņģis often resting him, hopefully this pays off in the playoffs.
In addition to his elite defense, Porziņģis is a consistent source of offense as an interior presence and floor spacer. Porziņģis shoots 71.2 percent at the rim and 39.3 percent from three while averaging 19.4 points per game. His efficiency and scoring versatility take Boston’s offense to the next level, making them less predictable. Porziņģis also takes some of the offensive burden off of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which elevates the Celtics massively. He has been more of a focal point of the offense this year, seeing a 20 percent increase in touches. Ultimately, Porziņģis’ two-way impact is key to the Celtics’ title defense.
Photo credit: © Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
