Even though he missed most of the playoffs, Kristaps Porzingis has been crucial to Boston's success this season. Jayson Tatum says it even more clearly, ensuring that the Latvian “made us a better team”. The key to its adaptation? Do ” exactly what we expected from him throughout the season,” continues the All-Star.
An observation confirmed by the main person concerned, who maintained the same speech all season. “They welcomed me with open arms, without any tension,” he explains to The Athletic. “I’ve said it from day one: I’m here to help you win. It doesn't matter what you have to do: be on the bench, come off the bench or whatever. I am here for this. »
With 20.1 points (at 51% shooting success), 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on average, the former New Yorker had one of the best seasons of his career in Boston. It must be said that he had prepared well by studying the game of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, in order to blend in.
“I think my experience helped us get in the right direction and get off to a good start. We saw it at the start of the season, Brown and I, it worked immediately, in terms of two-man play”observes the interior.
A season of loneliness
But even more than the technical analysis, there are the conditions of Kristaps Porzingis' season which weighed. After a year in Washington to get back on track, he discovered the city of Boston and its unwelcoming winter climate, which encourages people to stay at home.
“The basketball player that I am is entering his best years”, he judges, he will soon be 29 (he will be on August 2). “On a personal level, outside of basketball, this season was interesting and necessary. We're always learning and when I go back to my way of thinking two years ago, I've evolved. This is my first season where I'm completely alone. Winter is dark and long. Now that the weather is better, friends are coming to visit, it's different. But in the winter, I had a lot of time to think about myself. It was a lonely season in a way. »
Perfect conditions to concentrate solely on performance on the floor. Especially since even if there was a certain pressure, inherent to Boston's high ambitions, the former Mavericks, having extended it for two years even before the first game of the season, was released and did not need to think to his future.
“At this stage of my career, I'm not chasing another contract, I don't have crazy expectations. I adapt to who I am personally and sportingly. I signed my contract. This is the ideal situation to go for the title. And everything is done at the right time, with the guys who are in their best years, so it’s perfect”he concludes.
| Kristaps Porzingis | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | NYK | 72 | 28 | 42.1 | 33.3 | 83.8 | 1.8 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 14.3 |
| 2016-17 | NYK | 66 | 33 | 45.0 | 35.7 | 78.6 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 1.5 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 18.1 |
| 2017-18 | NYK | 48 | 32 | 43.9 | 39.5 | 79.3 | 1.3 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 22.7 |
| 2019-20 | DAL | 57 | 32 | 42.7 | 35.2 | 79.9 | 1.8 | 7.7 | 9.5 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 20.4 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 43 | 31 | 47.6 | 37.6 | 85.5 | 1.9 | 7.0 | 8.9 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 20.1 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 51 | 29 | 45.9 | 31.0 | 86.7 | 2.0 | 6.1 | 8.1 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 20.2 |
| 2021-22 * | DAL | 34 | 30 | 45.1 | 28.3 | 86.5 | 1.9 | 5.8 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 19.2 |
| 2021-22 * | W.A.S. | 17 | 28 | 47.5 | 36.7 | 87.1 | 2.2 | 6.6 | 8.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 22.1 |
| 2022-23 | W.A.S. | 65 | 33 | 49.8 | 38.5 | 85.1 | 1.8 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 23.2 |
| 2023-24 | BOS | 57 | 30 | 51.6 | 37.5 | 85.8 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 20.1 |
| Total | 459 | 31 | 45.9 | 36.1 | 83.1 | 1.7 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 19.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
