Porzingis finally returned to the field about five minutes into the first quarter on Thursday, taking the court for the first time since missing 38 days, and quickly hit the ground running, proving the wait was worth it as he was a key part of Boston's dominant 107-89 victory.
“From the way I walked before the match to the way I stepped onto the court, [crowd] “The support was unbelievable,” Porzingis said, “I had adrenaline pumping through my veins and that definitely helped. Obviously it wasn't ideal being out for that long, but I prepared as much as I could mentally for this moment of coming back and it paid off.”
There was no nerves, no rust, no probing period for Porzingis. He joined Boston in a trade with the Washington Wizards last summer and had made just one appearance off the bench in his eight-year career prior to Thursday. Playing against the Mavericks, who traded him to Washington in 2022 because of poor chemistry with Luka Doncic, Porzingis drew a foul from Dallas' star guard and scored on a free throw.
From there, he continued his momentum, knocking down a string of mid-range jumpers over smaller defenders and a powerful two-handed dunk over Derek Lively II. They led a decisive 15-2 run late in the first quarter. On the defensive end, Porzingis drew huge cheers when he blocked Kyrie Irving and even bigger applause when he blocked a Josh Green dunk attempt just before the end of the first quarter.
Porzingis, who was invisible for most of Boston's playoff run, was all over the place as the Celtics built a 37-20 lead in the second quarter and then extended their lead to 29 points by halftime and took a 63-42 lead. Porzingis was the leading scorer in the first half with 18 points, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes of play. His performance was so impressive that Boston was able to rest him. Over the final eight minutes of the game.
“I just thought [bringing him off the bench] “He was great on both ends of the court, defensive execution, fighting for position on offense, playing physical and setting up plays. I thought he played great. KP helped us get to where we are today,” Mazzulla said.
It was a dream opener for the Celtics, confirming their confidence in acquiring Porzingis, who had never even played a second-round playoff game before, and easing concerns that he might struggle to regain his form after an injury-plagued romp in the Eastern Conference. Boston was the more composed team from the start, taking advantage of some early Doncic turnovers and forcing Irving, who was frequently booed by fans who vividly remembered his disappointing two-year stint with the Celtics.
The balanced scoring attack that Dallas had displayed during its run through the Western Conference was dominated by Doncic. Irving was held to just 12 points on 6-of-19 shooting, and the Mavericks made just 3-of-13 3-pointers by halftime. Doncic scored a game-high 30 points and led a brave 22-9 third-quarter surge that cut Boston's lead to eight points, but Dallas couldn't get enough coverage around him.
Jaylen Brown countered Doncic's onslaught with a well-rounded performance of 22 points, six rebounds and two assists. When Doncic caught his breath just before the fourth quarter, Brown drilled a three-pointer to put Boston's lead back up to more than 20 points. Taking full advantage of the breathing space, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP blew kisses and let out a long, loud yell to the sideline crowd as the Celtics went on a 14-0 run.
” [Mavericks] “We were down eight and the game started,” Brown said. “We handled it well as a team. We stayed calm. We got some space on offense and were able to get the lead back. That's a moment where our experience shines through. We just take a breath and keep playing basketball.”
Dallas will be working to address some shaky offensive lines, including clunky ball movement and a lack of corner 3-pointers, before Game 2 on Sunday. The Mavericks had 11 turnovers and just nine assists, marking the first time they have given up more points than assists this postseason. As a result, Dallas made just 7 of 27 3-point attempts (25.9 percent) and only four Mavericks scored in double figures. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd emptied his bench with nearly five minutes left in the game.
” [Celtics] “We really rely on their great defensive ball pressure and one-on-one defenders,” Irving said. “They get us into certain areas. It's unusual for us to only have nine assists. We need to move the ball a little bit more. That starts with me pushing the pace, creating easy chances and adapting to what they're throwing at us.”
Indeed, Irving It was a night to forget, with a jump shot bouncing off the basket, a ball dribbling off his feet, a travelling whistle and a host of other missteps. The eight-time All-Star's return to Boston was a hot topic leading up to the series, but it was Porzingis who got his revenge on his former team first.
“I'm going to do whatever it takes to help my team win,” Porzingis said. “In a situation like this, [coming off the bench] It made sense. I didn't mind. I knew I was ready to come off the bench. It was a new thing for me. I stepped into that role and embraced it. Tonight was the night I knew I was pretty good. [health-wise]”Maybe it's not perfect, but it's pretty good.”
