The Boston Celtics ended their slump with the recent 104-92 away victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite a shaky start, they ensured the triumph with a 3rd quarter dominance to embark on a 58-16 run. Following the game, Kristaps Porzingis described what changed for the visitors during the clash while shedding light on their mentality.
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The Pelicans started on the front foot by taking a 37-28 lead in the first quarter. The momentum soon swung in the Celtics’ favor as they made a comeback to take a two-point lead by the end of the first half. Following this, the visitors displayed their brilliance with a 24-11 run in the third quarter while taking a 15-point lead ahead of the fourth quarter. This dominance ensured their victory as the hosts failed to recover.
During the post game, Porzingis reflected on the game while highlighting the differences in approach. Pointing out the contrast in the relevance of the clash to each of the teams, the 28-year-old opened up about the mindset. He also shed light on the shift in mentality following an underwhelming first quarter while displaying immense belief in the roster.
“These teams are hungry, they need these wins. Maybe we at this point in the season don’t need them as much, but still, we want to go out there and compete at a high-level every night. Once we hit another gear, the game just flipped,” he declared.
His comments highlighted the superiority of the Celtics squad in comparison to the rest of the NBA. After all, Porzingis remained a key cog in the system as his contributions helped change the tide of the game. As per ESPN, the Latvian registered a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds during his visit to Louisiana while steadying the ship.
This victory certainly acted as a major morale booster for the squad following their consecutive two defeats to the Atlanta Hawks. On top of it, the Celtics continue to maintain the highest win percentage in the league (78.4%) this season. Hence, a run to the championship remains a possibility at this stage as the fans aim for glory after 16 years.
