Kristaps Porzingis solely took 4 photographs in Friday’s win over the Nets, however Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla nonetheless thought the massive artificial a beneficial offensive affect.
Mazzulla mentioned the most effective factor that went unnoticed in that win was Porzingis’ screening, which opened up driving lanes and open seems to be for his teammates. Porzingis could not have been straight concerned as he completed with simply 9 factors, however his presence was definitely felt.
The Celtics considered Porzingis as a crucial distinction maker this offseason to place them excessive, and as he continues to construct chemistry with their core by the day, it’s simple to see why. His mere presence on each ends has made these Celtics extra dynamic,
On Saturday, the theme continued. Porzingis was way more concerned, scoring 21 factors on 14 photographs, and he as soon as once more helped unlock his co-stars. Jaylen Brown scored 29 factors and Jayson Tatum added 27 and the Celtics rode certainly one of their greatest defensive efforts of the season to a 117-94 over the Raptors at TD Garden.
A 12 months after they went 10-3 on the second night time of back-to-backs, the C’s continued their success within the first back-to-back of the season as they completely dealt with the inferior Raptors within the second half.
The Celtics, after main comfortably for many of the first half, put away the Raptors within the third quarter with a stretch that had Porzingis’ fingertips throughout it.
After main by 9 at halftime, the Celtics went on an 11-2 run firstly of the third, as Porzingis drilled a 27-foot 3-pointer earlier than working free for a pair of dunks that pressured Toronto to name an early timeout. The spacing and menace he created opened up the ground for Brown, who scored 12 of the following 15 Celtics factors that had been sandwiched round one other Porzingis 3-pointer.
Porzingis’ alley-oop with 4:27 to go within the third put the Celtics up 24, they usually by no means seemed again as their beginning 5 continued to carry out as the most effective unit within the NBA.
The Celtics led by as many as 30 within the fourth quarter, however whereas Porzingis sat out for the whole thing of the ultimate interval, Joe Mazzulla was questionably sluggish to take Tatum and Brown out of the sport. After Tatum’s layup with 5:11 to go put the C’s up 27, Mazzulla lastly took them out with 4:47 remaining. Tatum completed the sport with a plus-42.
Source: www.bostonherald.com