Do the Celtics need Porzingis to win the NBA Finals? Kendrick Perkins explains originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have been without Kristaps Porzingis since Game 4 of the first round due to a right calf injury, but it is possible the veteran center could return during the 2024 NBA Finals. which starts June 6th at TD Garden.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Wednesday that he still doesn’t know if Porzingis will play in Game 1but noted that the star has increased the intensity of his rehabilitation.
How important is it for Porzingis to be on the field for the Celtics in the Finals? Do they need him to beat the Western Conference champion, be it the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves?
Former Celtics center and current ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins thinks so.
“I don’t expect him to look 100 percent. If he did, it would be surprising to me. But if he’s 75 percent, and he’s back on the floor and he looks like he’s got his rhythm, then I have confidence,” Perkins said Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Felger and Mazz Show.
“I’ll be a lot more confident than I am (right now) because I feel like if they play the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves – it looks like the Mavs – but I feel like Kristaps Porzingis definitely has to be in for (the Celtics) to win it all, I really think he is the most important player for this team because of what he brings on both ends of the court.
Perkins thinks Porzingis’ ability to protect the rim and be a defensive force in the paint would really help the Celtics in the Finals.
“I think you need it,” Perkins said. “You need that. I mean, he’s 7 feet tall for a reason. He stretches the floor. When it comes to rim protection, I think this was one of his best years, and not just blocking shots, but changing You need this when facing a team like the Dallas Mavericks or especially the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“You need that guy — I’m not saying Al Horford can’t do it — but still, at the end of the day, you need a guy with size and athleticism, especially when you’re facing guys like Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, the athletic Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford You have to have some kind of presence at the basket when you have guys who love to attack the rim, like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Edwards. .”
Porzingis averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game during the regular season. His ability to score inside and beyond the 3-point line, in addition to his excellent defense, helped make him a valuable part of the team’s success.
The Celtics have played very well without Porzingis, including a 9-1 record since he left Game 4 against the Miami Heat. But if he returned in the Finals, it would make an already talented lineup even more potent offensively and better equipped to defend the other team’s elite scorers.
Check out Perkins’ full appearance at Felger & Mazz in the video below.
