Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t playing up to his standards in the Celtics’ pair of losses to the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the week. He knew he could reach a different level, and he certainly took a step forward in that direction on Saturday.
His stats don’t particularly jump off the page like some of his other dominant games this season. Just 19 points, a healthy 10 rebounds, and an impact defensively to the tune of four blocks. That line doesn’t fully capture the importance of his night, especially in comparison to the last two games.
On Thursday, Porzingis notched 20 points and seven rebounds, but that was in 41 minutes of action in Boston’s overtime loss.