Tag: Kristaps Porzingis

Kristaps Porzingis needs to play much better for the Boston Celtics to beat the Miami Heat

Why was KP so ineffective in Game 2 of the series vs. the Heat?

The Boston Celtics dominated the NBA’s 2023-24 regular season thanks in part to the addition of star big man Kristaps Porzingis, with the Latvian center eating off his ability to create mismatches in the post against smaller players. But in the Eastern Conference’s 2024 NBA Playoffs’ Game 2 matchup vs. the Miami Heat in the first round, Porzingis struggled vs. Miami.

Why was KP so ineffective in Game 2 of the series vs. the Heat? What did they do to take him out of his rhythm? Is it a one-time thing or can we expect more of the same to neutralize the 7-footer? Whatever the issue, he needs to play better for Boston to advance past Miami.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took a closer look at his bad game and what needs to change for him to do better. Check it out in the clip embedded below.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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NBA scout details how to break down the Boston Celtics

How can teams break down the Boston Celtics stellar defensive system?

The Boston Celtics ended the regular season with the second best defensive rating in the NBA. They illustrated their defensive dominance in game one of their playoff series against the Miami Heat on Sunday (April 21). Boston’s rearguard has been exceptional this season following the additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis during the offseason.

According to an NBA Scout who spoke with Jared Weiss and Jay King of The Athletic, the Celtics defense does have some weaknesses. However, beating Joe Mazzulla’s system requires some creativity in how teams approach their screening actions and the positioning of their players.

“Making their bigs move in pick-and-roll, setting your picks higher up the floor, setting pindown screens to make them follow the action,” The scout said. “You gotta move their size by putting your big in the strong side corner. Or run a spread pick-and-roll and set a pindown on Porzingis so he has to trail the action up to the pick-and-roll. It’s all in your setups and screening angles.”

The Heat don’t have a floor-spacing big man who can sit in the corner and space the low helpline of the defense. They’re also limited in who they can have setting angled screens. That leaves them some spread pick-and-roll (a pick-and-roll action in a five-out offense where no offensive player is in the paint) or running some pin-downs to get shooters open.

Boston has been fantastic when top-locking and denying pin-downs this season. Nevertheless, the Heat will need to get creative if they want to find some success against a Celtics defense that projects to be a major force throughout the postseason.

Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DoLhYK

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Oj4dhD

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8Mbv

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PHOTOS: Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis combines luxury and stye with Mercedes-Benz collection

Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis has an impressive fleet of Mercedes-Benz at his Boston home.

Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis loves his car collection. Specifically, he loves the luxury of Mercedes-Benz, and the former All-Star has carefully built a fleet of his favorite vehicles over the years. At present, he has a quartet of cars garaged in Boston, all of which are Mercedes.

Celtics Wire recently spoke with Porzingis about his love for Mercedes-Benz and why the cars mean so much to him. He also showed off his collection, outlining the origin of each car and why he likes them so much. Adding to the collection will have to wait, however, as Porzingis and the Celtics are turning their attention to mounting a run to the NBA Finals this spring.

In order to really appreciate the cars, check out this photo gallery showing off Porzingis with a few of his favorite vehicles from his collection.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Kristaps Porzingis helped the Boston Celtics make NBA history with his Player of the Week nod

The fourth such honor of KP’s career in the league and his first with Boston, it was also the fourth such honor for a Celtics player.

It is not every week that you tend to find star Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis helping the Celtics to make NBA history. But it did happen this week, as the Latvian center was awarded the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the penultimate week of the 2023-24 NBA regular season calendar.

The fourth such honor of KP’s career in the league and his first with Boston, it was also the fourth such honor for a Celtics player (with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White getting the nod before Porzingis) this season, the most ever for one team in one season.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took a closer look at the achievement for KP on a recent episode. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Kristaps Porzingis Player of the Week highlights with the Boston Celtics

Porzingis has garnered his first NBA Player of the Week honors since joining the team.

Star Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis has garnered his first NBA Player of the Week honors since joining the storied ball club, the honor being the fourth such award of his career in the Association. 

Granted the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award for last week (the penultimate week of the league’s 2023-24 season), the Latvian center put up 19.8 points per game during the week in question. During his week of extraordinary play for the Celtics, he shot 66% from the floor overall, a sizzling 64% from beyond the arc, and a solid 82% from the charity stripe.

To honor KP for his remarkable play for Boston last week, fan-favorite videographer Tomasz Kordylewski has put together the highlights from it in the clip embedded below. Check it out!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis wins Eastern Conference Player of the Week

This achievement is a record, with Boston now the 1st team in NBA history to have 4 players win Player of the Week honors in the same season.

The NBA has named star Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the penultimate week of the 2023-24 league calendar. Per the Association, Porzingis will join former Boston and current Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving in being so honored this week, with Irving getting the Western Conference Player of the Week award today.

Other players in the East who were in the mix for the honor include the Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero, the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, and the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Halliburton.

The Latvian big man becomes the fourth Celtics player to be so honored this season, along with Derrick White (March 25), Jaylen Brown (March 4), and Jayson Tatum (Nov. 6).

This achievement is a league record, with Boston becoming the first team in NBA history to have four players garner Player of the Week honors in the same season.

For Porzingis, it is the fourth such honor of his career, and the first with the Celtics.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Kristaps Porzingis staying humble on the ground after J Cole shout out

Kristaps Porzingis is staying humble, despite receiving a shout out in one of J Cole’s latest songs.

On April 5, Kristaps Porzingis woke up to a flurry of text messages. The Boston Celtics big man had received a shout-out on J Cole’s latest album. The song “Huntin’ Wabbitz.” features Porzingis as part of a verse, indicating the big man’s popularity following an exceptional debut season in Boston.

Cole’s lyrics go like this: “I just want to kick back, take trips, make big chips stack till they’re tall as Kristaps. Me and your squad are mismatched. Your calves ain’t strong enough to follow his path.” Of course, the mismatched line is a hat tip to Porzingis’ presence within the Celtics rotation and their ability to hunt mismatches in the half-court.

When speaking to the media following a recent practice, Porzingis answered questions surrounding his shoutout, noting that it was a cool moment, but his focus remains on winning a championship.

“As soon as I woke up, (there were) a lot of messages and people were like ‘Oh, he shouted you out so it was pretty cool,’” Porzingis said. “I don’t know, but I want to win a championship,” Porzingis said. “This is obviously pretty cool to get shouted out by J. Cole. Nothing that I was like, you know, hoping for, but it’s pretty cool.”

This season, Porzingis, 28, has been a major addition to the Celtics. He’s averaging 20.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and two assists per game, shooting 51.8% from the field and 37.5% from the 3-point range.

The Celtics are currently in cruise control. They have cemented themselves as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and hold the best record in the NBA. Nevertheless, once the postseason begins, Porzingis will have a significant role to play, and part of that role will be creating and attacking mismatches. 

Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DoLhYK

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Oj4dhD

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8MbvY

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Why the Derrick White – Kristaps Porzingis offense is the key to the Boston Celtics’ success

While Tatum and Brown are the engine that makes the Celtics run, this pairing has quietly been a crucial cog in that machine.

Amid all the debate over whether it ought to be Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown taking the last shot at the end of Boston Celtics games, there is mounting evidence that the Derrick White – Kristaps Porzingis offense is the key to the Celtics’ success this season.

While Tatum and Brown are undoubtedly the engine that makes the Celtics run (and one of the two probably should be taking the last shot, with occasional exceptions), this pairing and what they can do together has quietly been a crucial cog in that machine.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took some time to take a closer look at the high-powered tandem on a recent episode. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics rule Jaylen Brown out vs. Chicago Bulls

Jaylen Brown is one of three players rule out of the Boston Celtics game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday (March 23).

The Boston Celtics will face the Chicago Bulls on Saturday (March 23), the second night of a back-to-back. With the first seed in the Eastern Conference all but confirmed, head coach Joe Mazzulla has begun resting some of his starters by rotating them in and out of the lineup.

As such, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday are all “out” against the Bulls. Jayson Tatum and Al Horford are listed as questionable and will likely be a game-time decision. Holiday and Brown’s absence will ensure that Payton Pritchard continues to get an increase in minutes, which has seen him thrive over the last four games.

The Celtics have won their last eight games in a row. A victory over the Bulls will put them on the precipice of another 10-game win streak. Mazzulla’s team has been charging toward the regular-season finish line and has built some genuine momentum.

The Bulls currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference. As such, if things break right for them, they could be the Celtics’ opponent in the first round of the postseason. Perhaps we’re getting a preview of the first round.

Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DoLhYK

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YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8MbvY

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Celtics rule out two key starters ahead of Wizards game

The Boston Celtics have ruled out two of their starters for their upcoming game against the Washington Wizards.

The Boston Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White when they face the Washington Wizards on Sunday (March 17). Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both listed as questionable heading into the day. Nevertheless, Porzingis’s continued absence will undoubtedly be the talking point.

The veteran big man was last seen during the Celtics’ loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 7. He has missed the subsequent four games, with the upcoming Wizards contest being the fifth. He has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Fortunately for Celtics fans, Porzingis has looked good when shooting around at warm-ups, as shown by multiple videos across social media.

With only 16 games remaining in the season and Boston needing only seven wins to secure the first seed, it’s understandable that they’re taking a cautious approach to Porzingis’ health. After all, he is undoubtedly a significant x-factor for Joe Mazzulla‘s roster.

The Warriors have only won 11 games this season. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t be seen as a guaranteed win. The Celtics must avoid complacency if they wish to navigate a potential trap game on Sunday.

Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DoLhYK

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Oj4dhD

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8MbvY

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