Kristaps Porzingis made fairly a splash in his return to the Boston Celtics’ lineup Monday evening. Outsized wave-benders have a tendency to do this.
That applause you heard got here from excessive atop the Rockies.
No, not from the Nuggets, who’re trying much less and fewer like a possible NBA Finals opponent for the defending champs.
However from the visiting Knicks, who know Porzingis an entire lot higher than the Celtics.
The enigmatic 29-year-old carries plenty of baggage wherever he goes. He wants it to haul all his loot.
Relaxation assured: The suitcases have wheels. His again can’t deal with the burden of $177 million in profession earnings, not to mention the expectations of a determined NBA franchise. Or two. Or three. Or now 4.
Make no mistake, the Knicks have been precisely that after they made the widely unknown Porzingis the No. 4 total choose of the 2015 draft. They usually nonetheless are right this moment, no due to the Latvian Light-weight, who sat subsequent to Spike Lee about as usually as he lined up subsequent to Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose in 3 1/2 dreadful seasons.
The issue with Porzingis’ wasn’t his angle. It was his physique.
Bean poles are inclined to snap within the NBA. Ask Ralph Sampson. And has anyone seen Chet Holmgren lately?
Fortunately for the Knicks, the winds of desperation additionally blow by Central Texas, in order that they have been capable of extract two first-round picks from the Mavericks as a Porzingis parting reward.
Sadly, the proverbial door seems to have hit Porzingis within the again aspect on his manner by the exit, as a result of he is nonetheless limping right this moment.
It did not take Mark Cuban lengthy to study slightly one thing about NBA economics: What doesn’t promote in New York usually doesn’t promote in Dallas, both… particularly at 5 occasions the value.
Three years later, the Mavs accepted a health club bag stuffed with used scorebooks to ensure that the Wizards to take the now-journeyman off their arms. Solely to undergo the identical destiny.
Three strikes and… Porzingis seems to have hit a house run. Final June, the large oaf was moved as soon as once more and now wears an NBA crown atop his head.
Apparently it have to be heavy.
After lacking a lot of Boston’s most necessary video games final season, Porzingis watched the primary 17 this yr. Even Celtics followers have stopped counting.
The tin man simply can’t keep upright.
The humorous factor is: The Knicks want their previous pal the very best of well being. Their spot within the NBA Finals would possibly rely on it.
Like 28 different groups within the NBA, Knicks administration has recognized the Celtics because the crew to beat en path to the 2025 championship. Unlikely the opposite 28, the Knicks have carried out one thing about it.
Truly, they’ve carried out quite a bit about it.
With Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, they now have the shackles to lock down Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Not that Tatum, one of many worst shooters in postseason historical past, and Brown, on file tempo for many missed 3-pointers, will cease jacking.
And with Karl-Anthony Cities, they’ve extra than simply the complementary piece wanted to take the offensive weight off Jalen Brunson. They’ve the right matchup for Porzingis.
The easiest way to assault the Boston protection is with a floor-spacing huge man. Enter Cities, whose 2-for-2 evening capturing threes in Denver on Monday have been simply sufficient to drag Nikola Jokic from the basket, clearing house for the usually offensively challenged Anunoby to sneak in and rating 40 factors.
That’s what they’ll have to do towards the Celtics, who can lock down three positions with the very best of them. However Tatum doesn’t like to protect anyone, and with out Porzingis round to guard the basket, Boston’s vaunted protection rapidly turns into susceptible.
Anunoby is already licking his chops.
And on the different finish of the ground, Porzingis doesn’t have that type of perimeter prowess. So whereas Cities anchors in the important thing, chopping off Tatum’s lethal ventures into the defensive stomach, the Knicks can let Boston’s vaunted 36-percent 3-point-shooting huge man fireplace away.
That’s, if he’s even nonetheless a 36-percenter. His trumpeted debut Monday featured 1-for-6 capturing from deep, one thing with which the Knicks grew to become fairly acquainted when the tallest man on the courtroom always related on 33 p.c from deep as their marquee rookie.
Hey, it may have been worse. In a Giannis Antetokounmpo impersonation, he slumped to a downright embarrassing 28 p.c that bought him fired by Cuban.
In a merciful accident, the Knicks are praying Porzingis continues to be celebrating a wholesome honeymoon come Might.
Ten years later, he simply would possibly make them a championship.
