There’s an X-factor in the NBA Finals who could possibly tip the scale more than anyone else.
He’s playing against his former team. Many admire him, others dislike him. He’s been trying to remove one narrative surrounding his career and replace it with another.
No, it’s not Kyrie Irving, though he does happen to also check all those boxes. As the NBA Finals unfold, Kristaps Porzingis has a chance to give the Celtics another level of firepower the Mavericks simply can’t match – that is, of course, if he’s close to fully healthy.
Porzingis did look sharp taking jumpers after practice Friday.
“He’s getting better,” coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters. “He’s out there shooting. He went through a couple of drills at practice, so kind of confident where he’s at right now.”
The Celtics have fared just fine without their third-best offensive player as he recovers from a soleus strain, but they’re a significantly more lethal team when Porzingis is on the floor wreaking havoc like he can. Porzingis presents matchup problems any time he plays, but he has a chance to really alter the dynamic of this particular series if he’s anywhere near full strength.
With Porzingis out there, the Mavericks will likely have either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford stick him. Both have been excellent in the playoffs, but they haven’t guarded a big who can shoot like Porzingis.
His presence alone should force them to play more on the perimeter, which will in turn give Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown space to operate and win their individual matchups. The same concept holds true with Al Horford beyond the arc, of course, but adding a 7-foot-2 sniper with limitless range never hurts.
“We do want KP back,” Jrue Holiday told reporters. “We can’t wait for him to get back in and be a part of this on the court.”
Plus, Porzingis is also a threat at the rim and in the high post. Perhaps he can get Gafford or Lively in foul trouble. If his presence forces Jason Kidd to play Maxi Kleber extended minutes, that’s a win for the Celtics. Or maybe the Celtics can give the Mavericks a taste of their own medicine by forcing Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving to switch onto Porzingis and making them pay.
Think about it this way. It’s like your coffee machine has been broken for a few weeks. You’ve made due, with tea and other beverages, but when you get it fixed, the whole breakfast feels so much more balanced and you feel more like yourself.
Defensively, Porzingis was underrated this year. He may not have the best lateral quickness of all-time (the guy’s 7’2), but he alters shots at the rim and will make Irving and Doncic’s probes and lobs to Lively, Gafford or Derrick Jones Jr. a bit more difficult. Both Doncic and Irving are brilliant creators, but they’ll at least have to think twice when Porzingis is present.
Now, let’s be real here. It’s not all rosy. First off, Porzingis may not be 100 percent. We’ll have a better sense once he’s out there actually playing. The weeklong wait until Game 1 stinks for fans, but it’s huge for him specifically.
Also, Kidd and Doncic know Porzingis’ game inside and out. They’ll likely put him in the pick and roll and let Doncic cook with his classic stepback 3 to the left. If he drives, it’s up to the Celtics to rotate and close out on shooters. The reality is that they’re going to have to live with some Jones and P.J. Washington semi-contested 3’s. They’ll make some, but the math generally works out in your favor.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla with the latest on Kristaps Porzingis, who was seen shooting 3’s at practice on Friday and moving around pretty well. pic.twitter.com/ADyy0R7do1
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) May 31, 2024
Another wrinkle is that it’s highly unlikely Porzingis will play anywhere close to 30-35 minutes – at least at the start of the series. I’d personally bring him off the bench, and close with Horford (at least in Game 1), but I’d use him in spurts to present a different look.
“I feel like we’re all mature enough to get back in the group or have him fit back in when he gets back,” Holiday said.
If the Mavericks are roasting the Celtics inside, go double big with Porzingis and Horford. If Horford is cold, and they need a lift offensively, put Porzingis at the 5 in stretches. Assuming he’s healthy enough to play but not healthy enough to look like his full-capacity self, I’d play him about 15-20 minutes and take Sam Hauser out of the rotation.
Love me some Hauser, but the reality is that he’s not producing. But back to Porzingis: This is a chance for him to finish the season on his terms.
When the Celtics acquired him, the consensus was that it could put Boston over the top if Porzingis stayed healthy. Well, now we get to see if that’s true. Obviously, the injury is the injury, but if he’s able to play, he has a chance to silence some doubters – not just in the short term, but also ones who have been with him his entire career.
His career arc mirrors the narrative surrounding the Celtics in a sense. Yeah, they’re good, but are they good enough? Well, now’s the time to prove it.
When Porzingis is engaged, the Celtics go from great to basically unguardable. Dallas simply won’t have enough firepower outside of Doncic and Irving. The Mavericks have two main weapons. The Celtics have six with Porzingis.
It’s his time, and it’s all there for the taking.
