The Boston Celtics obliterated the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, but post-game, there were smiles on both sides of the court when former teammates linked up. Jayson Tatum spoke about Kristaps Porzingis, and admitted to enjoying playing against the man who was an integral part of their recent history.
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Porzingis left the Celtics in 2025 and spent half a season with the Atlanta Hawks before joining Warriors. The bond, however, he created with those in Boston, remains as strong as ever. He averaged 20 points per game in the 2023-24 season and helped the Celtics get to the Finals, where he averaged 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in the three games he played in, as they won the series against the Mavericks in five games.
Today, Porzingis plays most of his basketball on the other side of the country, which is what makes Tatum miss the Latvian. So, he relished the opportunity of going up against the big man in Warriors uniform (and also beating his side 120-99).
“It was cool, man. I miss the big fella. Happy to see him healthy, happy to see him out there playing,” Tatum said post-game, referencing Porzingis’ recent injury troubles that kept him out for the majority of his time in Atlanta, and also the first few weeks of his Golden State tenure.
The Celtics, of course, honored Porzingis with a tribute video, showcasing how much he means to the whole city. “It was cool to see the reception that he got tonight and his tribute video… He’ll forever be a Celtic and remembered for those two years, and obviously being a big piece of why we won a championship.”
“Every guy that was on that championship team, we’re bonded for life, so it’s always good to see KP,” Tatum added.
Jayson Tatum on playing against Kristaps Porzingis:
“It was cool, man. I miss the big fella. Happy to see him healthy, happy to see him out there playing. It was cool to see the reception that he got tonight and his tribute video… He’ll forever be a Celtic and remembered for… pic.twitter.com/A5wxJ7S9Be
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) March 19, 2026
Championship teams are special. Fans always remember them, that’s for certain, but only those who spent the year in the locker room together every single day know what it means. They saw the sacrifices and the struggles first-hand.
Of course, Tatum may be heading towards having another group of players he’ll bond forever with, soon. Most of the Celtics’ core players who won two years ago remain at the TD Garden, and they’re looking dangerous heading into post-season.
