Since the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Boston Celtics have been a little shorthanded, playing without Kristaps Porzingis. The Latvian seven-footer was sidelined due to a calf injury during Game 4 of the first round against the Miami Heat and hasn’t seen playoff action since. Despite this, a new video of Porzingis shooting around in practice apparently has Kevin Garnett on cloud nine going into the matchup.
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Ahead of the finals, a video released by the Celtics on Instagram showcases the Latvian unable to miss his shots from beyond the arc.
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Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett uploaded the video on his Instagram stories with the caption, “Awww Shhhhh…KP JUMPER looking good,” followed by a ‘100’ emoji at the end.
KG comments on Porzingis pic.twitter.com/Vfb4EugIDd
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) June 1, 2024
Indeed, the look and efficiency of Porzingis’s shot looks great, almost as if he never suffered any kind of injury. However, there is a big difference between doing it in a practice arena and doing so on the NBA’s biggest stage. Given just how long the star was forced to sit out, bridging that gap could take a while.
So far, the All-Star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has done a great job carrying the team in his absence. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday have been crucial parts of this side’s success as well, coming up big on several occasions.
But one player who has helped the Celtics make the most of Porzingis’ absence has been Al Horford. Since the injury to KP, Horford has stepped into the starting role and has given Boston the floor spacing Porzingis usually provides.
But while things have worked out great so far, things could turn out very differently against the Dallas Mavericks. After all, while the Boston Celtics have been dominant in their run to the NBA Finals, the Texan side will undoubtedly be their most competent opponent in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
If Boston is to win the 2024 NBA title, they will need their best players on the floor, performing at their absolute best. Can Kristaps Porzingis bring this to the table?
