Porzingis’ presence was more than expected.
The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 of the 2023-2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sunday (Feb. 7).
The Celtics clinched Game 1, arguably the most important game of the series, with a dominating performance. Jaylen Brown led the way with 22 points and six rebounds, while Jayson Tatum added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
But it was Kristaps Porzingis who stole the show for Boston. Porzingis suffered a calf injury on April 30 against the Miami Heat. At the time, it looked like a serious injury, but thankfully, it turned out to be minor.
Boston took great care of Porzingis. They didn’t even let him play a single game until the Conference Finals so he could focus on his recovery, because the Celtics were so dominant. Even without Porzingis, Boston’s run to the Finals was not hindered.
Porzingis returned for Game 1 of the Finals well-rested. Some people were worried about his game since he hadn’t played in a month. But Porzingis was Porzingis.
Midway through the first quarter, Porzingis entered the court to a raucous Boston fanfare, and she was dominant. Porzingis was the centerpiece of Boston’s five-out offense and used his physical advantage to exploit Dallas’ mismatches. Boston also relied on Porzingis to drive the offense. Porzingis’ mid-range shooting kept Dallas’ defense off-balance and set the tone for Boston.
The defense was the surprise. Porzingis defended the perimeter and kept Dallas from breaking through. He defended Dallas’ forwards, including Luka 토토 Doncic and Kyrie Irving, to keep them off the glass.
This is what Boston wanted most from Porzingis. He can provide spacing on offense and protect the rim on defense. In Game 1 of the Finals, Porzingis proved why he was the final piece of the puzzle for Boston.
In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Porzingis’ performance decided the game. It was a game where Porzingis’ dominance shone through.
Interestingly, Porzingis’ hometown team is Dallas. Porzingis requested a trade from the New York Knicks and was acquired by Dallas, who needed a superstar to help Doncic at the time.
However, Porzingis and Dallas didn’t have much chemistry. He didn’t have the chemistry with Doncic that was expected. They didn’t synergize on offense and were 바카라사이트 순위 better off attacking separately. Add to that Porzingis’ tendency to get glassed, which is a major weakness.
Eventually, Dallas gave up on Porzingis. He was traded to the Washington Wizards at the 2021-2022 trade deadline. It was more of a disposal than an upgrade. In effect, Dallas gave up on Porzingis.
As fate would have it, Porzingis welcomed Dallas to the Finals for the first time in 13 years. If Porzingis continues to perform consistently, Dallas’ brass will be burning.