Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis has been inactive since getting injured against the Miami Heat in the first round. With his return imminent, Boston Celtics legends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce pointed out his importance for the team as they are about to face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
Porzingis first entered the league as the New York Knicks’ fourth overall pick in the 2015 Draft. While initially criticized by the team’s fanbase and the media, he would later win their hearts by showcasing a big man’s game with outside shooting and ball handling of a guard.
Unfortunately, injuries severely prevented Porzingis from reaching his full potential in the Big Apple. He was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2019, and then to the Washington Wizards in 2022. Throughout that stretch, the Latvian center still found himself injured, leading him to miss out on a chunk of games for those teams.
During the previous offseason, Porzingis was acquired by the Celtics in a three-team trade with Washington and the Memphis Grizzlies. Although he only played 57 games for the team, the one-time All-Star still averaged 20.1 points on 37 percent shooting from deep, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 blocks per contest.
Boston Celtics Legends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce Point Out Kristaps Porzingis’ Importance in NBA Finals
Just recently, Garnett and Pierce discussed the upcoming NBA Finals between Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks and a Celtics team led by the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The two former champions discussed the importance of Porzingis for his team in an article by Conor Ryan for Boston.com.
“I think for him, the beauty about him is he doesn’t have to be the best player,” Pierce said of Porzingis. “Just his presence alone on the defensive end, with his height and his athleticism to block shots, his shooting ability. That’s a presence that makes this offense unlock even more. … I know he’s not going to be fully 100% (healthy). His presence is everything to unlock that offense and defense,” Ryan wrote.
““Him on the court makes the Celtics another level on both ends. … He’s been out two series,” Garnett said. “I’m pretty sure he’s getting shots up and still in a rhythm.”
Throughout his nine-season run in the NBA, the Boston Celtics’ big man boasted career averages of 19.7 points on 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game.
Porzingis is expected to make his return in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks. Hopefully, he comes back in full strength to make Boston’s upcoming showdown more exciting to watch.
For More Great Basketball Content
Follow me on Twitter at @BeatKit22 and follow us @HardwoodHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional sports, click here!
