In his first three games with the Boston Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis has looked great, and he says he’s only going to get better—much, much better.
Porzingis averaged 23.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals in his first two games. He also shot 51.9 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from three-point range.
As a follow-up to his first two games, Porzingis scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, gave three assists, and blocked a shot in Monday night’s 126–107 win over the Washington Wizards. He only had to play 24 minutes against the Wizards because the Celtics were so far ahead the whole game.
Porzingis still doesn’t think he’s reached his full ability, even after his great start.
“I’m still getting back in great shape,” Porzingis said. “I’m still not there. I had a bad summer because I missed the World Cup. I’m still making progress.”
Back in August, the Celtics confirmed that Porzingis would be going through a four- to six-week rehabilitation program that would keep him from doing any basketball-related exercises. Based on how Porzingis has played so far, the rehab program seems to have been a good idea because it gave his foot the time it needed to heal. Getting hurt a lot has been a big problem for Porzingis his whole career, so starting the season healthy was a big step in the right direction.
More than once, Porzingis said, “I like playing with these guys.” “This team is very skilled, and I feel like I work well with these people.” Getting used to playing with these guys has been pretty easy. Jaylen Brown says that the team’s bond is still being worked on, but it’s clear that everyone gets along well. The Celtics feel like they should put the team first when they play, so they can let the game flow naturally and see who has the best hand each night. The Celtics have a lot of players who can score, like Porzingis, Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday. The players don’t seem to care too much about their individual stats; they just want to win.
“I’m still going to get a lot better at my game,” Porzingis said. As of now, I’m still getting back in shape. Joe Mazzulla has been great. He’s been tough on me in practice, training camp, and now even, in games. He wants us to be the best players we can be. I can’t believe how good he is. I think it’s important that we keep getting along as a team, with the coaches, and with Joe.
This season, Mazzulla’s coaching style has been a lot like Doc Rivers’s when Boston won the title in 2008. He put the team ahead of himself. Even Celtic alumni are welcome at any game, practice, or team event put on by Mazzulla. This way, the team is surrounded by people who know what it means to wear Celtic green and win a title.