Last season, he had to watch the playoffs from Latvia. “ I was like, sure, it's good to end the season early, but there's nothing else to do. What's better to do than play basketball? Nothing. Yes, you can take a vacation. But that's what I like “, Kristaps Porzingis formula.
The interior should not feel the same lack this season and, on the contrary, have to wait a while before returning to their native country. After two years of absence, the former Wizards player will compete in the final stages with even more ambitious ambitions than when he played in Dallas, with the Mavs.
In Texas, he had experienced two qualifications, something he had never experienced with the Knicks, and as many eliminations in the first round. That is, in all, a total of 10 playoff matches played. An insignificant total if we compare it to those of his teammates in Boston: Jrue Holiday (70 games), Jayson Tatum (94), Jaylen Brown (105) or even Al Horford (167).
Even before serious things start, the Latvian finds himself in an unprecedented position: playing in a team that has nothing left to play for by the end of the regular season, as it is guaranteed to have home advantage for the entire sequence of events. However, there is no question of relaxing.
“ We all have to be in it. I'm starting to gain momentum as the postseason approaches. We have to be in top shape before entering this competition. The stakes are high, we have to surpass ourselves every night “, demands the giant, wishing to reach his ” best level defensively and offensively “. Last night, he had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 steals in a serious game won against the Blazers.
A “mental battle”
Seriousness, the Celtics have no shortage of it this season, especially in recent weeks. Since February 1, they have only lost four times (for 25 victories).
Capable of winning against the Blazers while being deprived of Jayson Tatum, Joe Mazzulla's men recently beat the Kings despite resting executives. A final affordable week of competition awaits them: a trip to the Bucks in crisis, the reception of the Knicks, then the weak Hornets and Wizards.
“ It's a mental battle. We have already won first place. In a way, we did our job for the regular season. But now, we mentally prepare ourselves for the most important moments. We must not relax, we must not rest on our laurels. So sometimes we have to pretend it's a playoff game, when it's not. », Claims Jaylen Brown.
The latter, for example, appreciated the level of concentration of the starting five against Portland, as well as the contribution of the substitutes, notably with the 20 points and 8 assists from Payton Pritchard. Clearly, this Celtics team does not seem to want to give up before the playoffs.
Kristaps Porzingis says he is logically impatient to be there. “ Of course it will be difficult, physically and mentally. But if we want to achieve our goals, it won't be easy », recalls the interior, who could therefore wait until June before taking his ticket to Latvia.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Jayson Tatum | 72 | 35.8 | 47.2 | 37.8 | 83.4 | 0.9 | 7.3 | 8.2 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 27.0 |
| Jaylen Brown | 67 | 33.6 | 50.1 | 35.8 | 70.1 | 1.2 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 23.2 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | 55 | 29.8 | 51.8 | 37.5 | 86.3 | 1.7 | 5.4 | 7.1 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 20.3 |
| Derrick White | 70 | 32.7 | 46.6 | 40.2 | 90.0 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 15.4 |
| Jrue Holiday | 66 | 33.1 | 48.1 | 43.0 | 83.3 | 1.2 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 12.6 |
| Payton Pritchard | 77 | 21.8 | 44.9 | 38.1 | 80.8 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 8.8 |
| Sam Hauser | 74 | 21.6 | 45.1 | 42.7 | 88.2 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 8.7 |
| Al Horford | 63 | 27.0 | 51.0 | 41.8 | 86.7 | 1.3 | 5.1 | 6.4 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 8.7 |
| Luke Kornett | 58 | 15.3 | 69.2 | 0.0 | 89.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 5.1 |
| Neemias Queta | 26 | 11.4 | 61.4 | 0.0 | 70.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 4.6 |
| Oshae Brissett | 51 | 11.5 | 45.0 | 28.8 | 64.0 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 3.5 |
| Xavier Tillman, Sr. | 15 | 14.2 | 50.0 | 20.0 | 66.7 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 3.5 |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | 36 | 8.6 | 38.0 | 35.4 | 57.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 3.0 |
| Drew Peterson | 1 | 2.6 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Lamar Stevens | 19 | 6.4 | 46.7 | 37.5 | 72.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.8 |
| Dalano Banton | 24 | 7.1 | 37.3 | 12.5 | 80.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 2.3 |
| Jd Davison | 6 | 1.9 | 66.7 | 66.7 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 |
| Jaden Springer | 13 | 5.5 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Jordan Walsh | 7 | 6.6 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
