How Porzingis and Doncic responded to questions about their feud rumors originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
Between the most intriguing stories for the 2024 NBA Finals will be Kristaps Porzingis’ return to Dallas.
The Boston Celtics big man played alongside superstar Luka Doncic on the Mavericks from 2019 to 2022. He was traded to the Washington Wizards at the deadline in the ’22, ending a tumultuous tenure plagued by injuries, postseason deficiencies and feud rumors with Doncic.
Porzingis has admitted there was some tension between him and Doncic from the beginning, but he also stated that the rumor that they didn’t get along was the “biggest mistake”. Still, Porzingis and Doncic’s complicated relationship remains a hot topic heading into Thursday’s Game 1. Former Mavs forward Chandler Parsons fanned the flames with his comments about “beef” and Dallas fans’ disdain for Porzingis.
“Make no mistake, they don’t like [Kristaps] Porzingis in Dallas”, Parsons said on FanDuel’s Run back. “Luka [Doncic] I didn’t like playing with him, there’s a real fight and every time he touches the ball, he’s going to be booed. …
“It didn’t work out and Dallas, for whatever reason, these fans are (proud). If you’re injured, if you’re not playing, if you’re not doing what you did in the years before you got to the Mavs… When you come back and play against that team, you want to prove something, you want to show what they’re missing, the game has more strength. Now we’re talking about the NBA Finals. .”
On Monday, Doncic laughed at Parsons’ statement that he didn’t like playing with Porzingis.
“That’s why I don’t watch it much. Because people don’t know,” he told reporters. “I’ve talked to Chandler Parsons maybe twice in my life, so I don’t know how he would know that. Me and KP have a good relationship. I don’t know why people say otherwise.”
Porzingis was also asked about the relationship, but declined to elaborate.
“It didn’t work out,” he said of his time in Dallas with Doncic. “I’m not even thinking about that right now. I’m thinking about the work ahead of us. We can think about that later.”
With just two until the start of the finals, Porzingis is focused exclusively on returning to the TD Garden parquet. The 28-year-old has not played since Game 4 of the Celtics’ first-round series against the Miami Heat due to a calf strain. Shortly before Porzingis spoke to reporters on Monday, it was reported that he is expected to return when the series begins on Thursday.
Game 1 is scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm ET at TD Garden. Coverage begins on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics pregame live at 7 o’clock in the evening
