It has been 16 years since the Boston Celtics won their last Championship after trouncing the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals. The team was led by the big three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen ending a 22-year drought for the historic franchise. At the time, it felt that the core would lift one or two more titles, but those dreams did not become a reality. Eventually, Allen left for Miami, while Garnett and Pierce were traded to the Nets, yielding future first-round picks that resulted in the drafting of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The dynamic duo have enjoyed success over the years but in back-to-back seasons, they have failed to get over the hump and capture Banner 18. In the off-season, Brad Stevens made shrewd acquisitions by acquiring Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to bolster the ambition of ending the current drought. The team has responded by blistering the league to a 46-12 record and sit at the top as the best team. The critics will say this is the same old Celtics doing well in the regular season and folding in the playoffs. However, this team has been a juggernaut, with Holiday proving to be a more complete version of Marcus Smart. Moreover, Kristaps Porzingis is the unicorn the team needed all along. In this article, we will discuss three reasons why the Latvian is the key to the Celtics’ title hopes.
1. Versatile Scorer- At 7’3”, Porzingis is the ultimate weapon as a versatile scorer on a team playing as the third option. Kristaps is averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.6 steals in 43 games this season. Porzingis is a mismatch in the post against smaller defenders, and the Celtics always finds the right matchup. Earlier in his career defenders were more physical with the Latvian on the low block by forcing him into tough fadeways. Porzingis Porziņģis now has the lower body strength to be more resistant to force, the skill to play through tight coverage, and the confidence to keep the ball high and shoot over the top of the defender. Statistically, Porzingis is in the top 5 in the league among players that operate efficiently from the post. The Celtics utilize Porzingis in switches to utilize his versatility, with the unicorn shooting 38.4% on catch-and-shoot threes. If defenders try to attack the three-point line on close outs, Brown and Tatum can look for the unicorn to attack the rim for an easy dunk. The next problem is sending Kristap Porzingis to the free throw line because he makes you pay by shooting 85% from the charity stripe. Yes, Porzings is a nightmare for his opponents on the defensive end, and makes the Celtics hopeful of capturing the 2024 title.
2. Underrated Rim Protector- earlier in his career, many questioned Porzingis’s ability as a defender, and some saw him as a liability on that end of the floor. However, Kristaps has improved this facet of his game to become more well-rounded. His quickness allows him to stay in front of the average point guard, and his length challenges their shots. The Latvian has been utilized by the Celtics primarily as a rim protector. According to advanced metrics, Porzingis ranks 5th in the league with a plus-minus of 14.4 as a rim protector. Also, according to ESPN stats, the Latvian ranks 10th in the league with 1.6 blocks per game. Yes, Jrue Holiday may be the captain of the 3rd ranked best defense in the league, but the unicorn is the anchor. As the saying goes, defense wins championship.
3. Zone Buster and Zero Ego- the Miami Heat constantly give the Celtics problems in the postseason because of their ability to employ a zone defense. Zone defense is usually successful because it prevents a high-percentage shot in driving to the rim while forcing the opponent to make a lower-percentage shot from the perimeter. Porzingis is the zone buster because he will punish crossmatches and attack the middle of the zone. In his previous stops in New York, Dallas, and Dallas, Porzingis featured as the number one or two option. However, on the Celtics he has been a complementary piece as the third star on this Celtics team. The Latvian is a willing passer, defers to Jaylen and Jayson on the court, and complimentary of his teammates off the floor. Kristaps is capable of being the featured player in clutch minutes, but it feels as if whether he makes the winning shot or killer passes, he just wants to win. It’s that type of attitude which makes him the right cog to get banner 18 hanging from the rafters this year.