{"id":139895,"date":"2025-05-16T10:45:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:45:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=139895"},"modified":"2025-05-16T11:09:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:09:03","slug":"close-enough-welcome-bill-russell-the-celtics-needed-luke-kornet-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/16\/close-enough-welcome-bill-russell-the-celtics-needed-luke-kornet-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Close Enough! Welcome, Bill Russell \u2014 The Celtics Needed You"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke Kornet<\/a> delivered a Game 5 performance that will be remembered for years. Kornet\u2019s defense fueled Boston’s<\/a> 127-102 blowout win over the New York Knicks.<\/a> The Celtics faced elimination but found an unlikely hero in him. In 26 minutes, Kornet tallied 10 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked 7 shots. He shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the field. His +20 plus-minus was the best on either team. The Knicks certainly did not expect this version of Kornet. New York fans barely noticed him during his stint with the Knicks. In this series, he had been a role player at best. But with Kristaps Porzingis<\/a> battling illness and struggling, Kornet stepped up when it mattered most. Kornet\u2019s dominant showing made history. He became the first NBA player in playoff history to post at least 10 points, 9 rebounds, 7 blocks, and shoot 100% from the floor in a single game.<\/p>\n

Close Enough! Welcome Back, Bill Russell \u2014 The Celtics Needed You<\/h2>\n

Praise From Teammates and Coaches<\/h3>\n

Jaylen Brown<\/a> praised his teammate after the crucial victory. \u201cLuke was huge. Both defensively and offensively, he was stellar,\u201d Brown said<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s the type of performance we need in the playoffs. Big defensive stops, crucial plays, and even finishing that backwards lob. Luke was great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Head coach Joe Mazzulla shared similar sentiments. \u201cHe excelled on both ends,\u201d Mazzulla said<\/a>. \u201cHe protected the rim without fouling and controlled the glass with nine rebounds, including two offensive boards. His presence was felt throughout the game. He made winning plays.\u201d<\/p>\n

The key factor was Luke Kornet’s defense. Mazzulla employed him strategically. Kornet guarded Josh Hart<\/a>, freeing himself to float near the rim. This allowed him to challenge drives by Jalen Brunson<\/a> and Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>. The tactic resembled how Detroit used Jalen Duren<\/a> against the Knicks earlier this season.<\/p>\n

Filling the Void Left by Stars<\/h3>\n
\"Luke
May 14, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (40) fouls New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Without Jayson Tatum<\/a> in the lineup, the Celtics needed collective effort. Derrick White<\/a> and Brown provided offensive firepower. However, Luke Kornet’s defense altered the game’s momentum.<\/p>\n

In the third quarter, Kornet\u2019s impact was most evident. Boston outscored New York 32-17. Kornet blocked six of his seven shots in that single quarter. His rim protection stifled New York’s offensive rhythm.<\/p>\n

With Porzingis limited by a persistent illness, Kornet\u2019s role could expand even further. Eamon Cassels of Last Word on Sports<\/em> alluded to a possible starting role for Kornet in a recent article.<\/a> Boston may rely heavily on Kornet’s defense to stay alive in this series.<\/p>\n

The Celtics no longer have the luxury of a top-five superstar carrying them. Their comeback hopes hinge on defensive grit. Kornet\u2019s ability to anchor the paint is essential.<\/p>\n

Luke Kornet\u2019s Defense Echoes Bill Russell\u2019s<\/h3>\n

Kornet\u2019s sudden emergence brought back memories of a Celtics legend. Bill Russell,<\/a> the cornerstone of Boston\u2019s dynasty, built his legacy on defense. Russell won 11 championships by controlling the glass and protecting the rim.<\/p>\n

Russell’s leadership and shot-blocking set the foundation for Celtics basketball. He didn\u2019t need to dominate offensively. His defense anchored title runs year after year. The Celtics now ask Kornet for a similar role. They don\u2019t need him to be a superstar. They need his defensive presence.<\/p>\n

Luke Kornet’s defense may not reach Russell\u2019s historic level, but his impact is undeniable. His Game 5 performance mirrored the defensive focus that Russell made famous.<\/p>\n

The Road Ahead for Kornet and the Celtics<\/h3>\n

Boston faces a daunting challenge, down 3-2 in the series. However, Kornet\u2019s breakout game could breathe life into their playoff run. His rim protection, rebounding, and defensive awareness could give the Celtics hope of overcoming odds heavily stacked against them.<\/p>\n

Luke Kornet’s defense will remain critical in the upcoming games. If Porzingis continues to struggle, Kornet will be Boston’s primary rim protector. His ability to stay disciplined and contest shots without fouling is exactly what Boston needs.<\/p>\n

This Game 5 performance didn\u2019t just extend the series. It showcased Kornet’s capacity to deliver in high-stakes moments. Moving forward, he has likely earned a larger role.<\/p>\n

The Celtics may not have Russell today, but with Kornet anchoring the paint, they might be close enough.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Credit: \u00a9 Darryl Norenberg-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Luke Kornet delivered a Game 5 performance that will be remembered for years. Kornet\u2019s defense fueled Boston’s 127-102 blowout win over the New York Knicks. The Celtics faced elimination but found an unlikely hero in him. In 26 minutes, Kornet tallied 10 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked 7 shots. He shot a perfect 5-of-5 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":139897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,5],"tags":[2101,2951,450,4865,138,1776],"class_list":["post-139895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-celtics","tag-bill-russell","tag-defense","tag-jaylen-brown","tag-joe-mazzulla","tag-kristaps-porzingis","tag-luke-kornet"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139895","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139895"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139895\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":139902,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139895\/revisions\/139902"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}