Kristaps Porzingis is living up to the hype

[Im Still Ballin]

KP is putting up some ridiculously efficient numbers while playing on a high-level team:

- 10 games played
- 30.2 minutes per game
- 19.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, 1.2 topg
- 40.8% 3PT, 68.2% 2PT, 83.9% FT, 70.5% TS

He's been everything the Celtics have wanted him to be and more. He's even scoring 1.61 PPP in the post on 2.3 attempts per game. That's the highest mark in the NBA for someone taking at least 1.5 post-up attempts per game. He was also up at the top of the league in post-up PPP last year.

Crazy to think that this guy used to be a terrible post-up guy in Dallas. He can now effectively take advantage of mismatches.

[Im Still Ballin]

2015-16: 0.82 PPP on 2.3 post-up attempts per game
2016-17: 0.81 PPP on 2.5 post-up attempts per game
2017-18: 0.96 PPP on 5.6 post-up attempts per game
2019-20: 0.81 PPP on 3.0 post-up attempts per game
2020-21: 0.98 PPP on 3.7 post-up attempts per game
2021-22: 0.89 PPP on 4.0 post-up attempts per game (DALLAS); 1.12 PPP on 4.5 post-up attempts per game (WASHINGTON)
2022-23: 1.18 PPP on 3.4 post-up attempts per game
2023-24: 1.61 PPP on 2.3 post-up attempts per game (10-game sample)

[Real Men Wear Green]

So far the whole offense has been more efficient, and that's with JB having some struggles the first few games. It's very difficult to defend Porzingis the way a guy as long, skilled and athletic as he is the way that you should when the other 4 guys on the floor are all scoring threats that are ready willing and able to give Porzingis the ball in his spots. He never has to take a bad shot now and generally doesn't.

Rebounding numbers are also deceptively low. He's only averaging 30 minutes. If he did the 36 most teams would need from him he would be over 8.

[Xiao Yao You]

So far the whole offense has been more efficient, and that's with JB having some struggles the first few games. It's very difficult to defend Porzingis the way a guy as long, skilled and athletic as he is the way that you should when the other 4 guys on the floor are all scoring threats that are ready willing and able to give Porzingis the ball in his spots. He never has to take a bad shot now and generally doesn't.

Rebounding numbers are also deceptively low. He's only averaging 30 minutes. If he did the 36 most teams would need from him he would be over 8.

6 isn't good for 30 minutes a game. Looks like the Celtics rebound as a team though

[Real Men Wear Green]

6 isn't good for 30 minutes a game. Looks like the Celtics rebound as a team though

I didnt say it was "good," I said it was "deceptively low."

[FultzNationRISE]

Tbh, altho adding him was the right move long term, as much as I hated to see it come at the expense of Smart, they do have concerns to address.

First of all, Pingis is basically unproven in the playoffs. He played a couple first round series with the Mavs but he was a different guy then, in a different situation, so I dont even really count any of that. How he’ll translate when the pressure is on and the game plans are comprehensive is yet to be seen. Tatum and Brown have sort of an up and down playoff history, and Jrue has struggled shooting at times in the playoffs. Which could just be a coincidence and have nothing to do with the playoffs themselves, we dont know. But the C’s dont have a consistent playoff stud you can be sure is gonna carry a superstar load. KP I dont think is gonna be that guy, he makes a great second/third banana but I dont see him ‘taking over’ in the playoffs. So it’s gonna require all their guys to show up and be on point, because no one guy is gonna really carry across multiple series.

Also… KP has never been a strong rebounder, and that’s held true in Boston so far. Hasnt mattered because theyre just out shooting everyone, but again the difference between regular season and playoff styles can be huge. I still think the C’s could use a dawg somewhere up front to do some dirty work for 12-15 minutes a night. Theyve got dogs in the backcourt, but theyre a little light up front. Celtics have as much scoring talent as anyone, but any team can go cold for a stretch. They could use some front court toughness for those times. KP is a very mobile rim runner and hes been shooting well outside, but Ive also seen him get pushed off spots pretty easily just due to the nature of his frame. Hauser is also a shooter, and Big Al has gotten a bit slower with age. I think adding a bulldog for certain situations would help.

Someone like a PJ Tucker who you wouldnt have to give up a lot for or necessarily play big minutes, but someone who’s built thick and brings big heart and big energy.

Just my assessment.

[90sgoat]

Crazy to think that this guy used to be a terrible post-up guy in Dallas. He can now effectively take advantage of mismatches.

He was never terrible in the post on Mavs or Knicks.

The issue has always been finding a point guard and a coach who actually wants to pass him the ball in his spots and run sets to get him there.

For some reason, most teams he has played on has not wanted to do that, so I figure he must have rubbed people the wrong way, probably coming off as selfish or arrogant.

He seems like he has mellowed out a lot, so with that out of the way, he can play to his strengths.

[FultzNationRISE]

He was never terrible in the post on Mavs or Knicks.

The issue has always been finding a point guard and a coach who actually wants to pass him the ball in his spots and run sets to get him there.

For some reason, most teams he has played on has not wanted to do that, so I figure he must have rubbed people the wrong way, probably coming off as selfish or arrogant.

He seems like he has mellowed out a lot, so with that out of the way, he can play to his strengths.

Not true actually, the Mavs did try to work thru him in the post when he got to DAL, and he actually was terrible, and they made a conscious decision to move him to the perimeter more after that. I remember it well. You could find articles about it from the time if you look.

Luka gets blamed unfairly for KP’s dissatisfaction with his usage, but they tried feeding Pingis as a traditional big early on and it wasnt successful.

That said, his touch from 8-12 feet has gotten better since then and his general confidence is up. But he’s still more a finesse player than a guy who brings toughness. So I think Boston needs to consider that.

[tpols]

KP is putting up some ridiculously efficient numbers while playing on a high-level team:

- 10 games played
- 30.2 minutes per game
- 19.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, 1.2 topg
- 40.8% 3PT, 68.2% 2PT, 83.9% FT, 70.5% TS

He's been everything the Celtics have wanted him to be and more. He's even scoring 1.61 PPP in the post on 2.3 attempts per game. That's the highest mark in the NBA for someone taking at least 1.5 post-up attempts per game. He was also up at the top of the league in post-up PPP last year.

Crazy to think that this guy used to be a terrible post-up guy in Dallas. He can now effectively take advantage of mismatches.

Luka probably diminished his posting opportunity with his extreme 3pt spacing strategy.

[tpols]

Tbh, altho adding him was the right move long term, as much as I hated to see it come at the expense of Smart, they do have concerns to address.

First of all, Pingis is basically unproven in the playoffs. He played a couple first round series with the Mavs but he was a different guy then, in a different situation, so I dont even really count any of that. How he’ll translate when the pressure is on and the game plans are comprehensive is yet to be seen. Tatum and Brown have sort of an up and down playoff history, and Jrue has struggled shooting at times in the playoffs. Which could just be a coincidence and have nothing to do with the playoffs themselves, we dont know. But the C’s dont have a consistent playoff stud you can be sure is gonna carry a superstar load. KP I dont think is gonna be that guy, he makes a great second/third banana but I dont see him ‘taking over’ in the playoffs. So it’s gonna require all their guys to show up and be on point, because no one guy is gonna really carry across multiple series.

Also… KP has never been a strong rebounder, and that’s held true in Boston so far. Hasnt mattered because theyre just out shooting everyone, but again the difference between regular season and playoff styles can be huge. I still think the C’s could use a dawg somewhere up front to do some dirty work for 12-15 minutes a night. Theyve got dogs in the backcourt, but theyre a little light up front. Celtics have as much scoring talent as anyone, but any team can go cold for a stretch. They could use some front court toughness for those times. KP is a very mobile rim runner and hes been shooting well outside, but Ive also seen him get pushed off spots pretty easily just due to the nature of his frame. Hauser is also a shooter, and Big Al has gotten a bit slower with age. I think adding a bulldog for certain situations would help.

Someone like a PJ Tucker who you wouldnt have to give up a lot for or necessarily play big minutes, but someone who’s built thick and brings big heart and big energy.

Just my assessment.

The Celtics don't need a true superstar or whatever to carry the load when they arguably have 5 All Star talents on their team ~ Tatum, brown, jrue, KP, and white and then they have good role players as well. They're stacked enough to not need some alpha 40 point scorer, but even Tatum has done that at times in the playoffs and he's nearing his peak age and ability.

[FultzNationRISE]

The Celtics don't need a true superstar or whatever to carry the load when they arguably have 5 All Star talents on their team ~ Tatum, brown, jrue, KP, and white and then they have good role players as well. They're stacked enough to not need some alpha 40 point scorer, but even Tatum has done that at times in the playoffs and he's nearing his peak age and ability.

This may prove true, my point is just that it's not a guarantee.

This team is good enough that if you replace Tatum with a Lebron, Luka, healthy Kawhi, prime KD, there is no doubt who wins the chip. It'd be a foregone conclusion. Or replace KP with Joker, or Brown with Curry etc. Youd have someone guaranteed to dominate every series and a really good team around him. It'd be pretty unstoppable.

With these guys, one of them could be off, a couple others have an average series, and if someone from the other team gets hot all the sudden they wind up coming short.

Tatum, Brown, Zingis, even White, all COULD dominate in a given game or series, but none of them are guaranteed to. Which obviously diminishes their chances a little bit. If they play well enough as a team they'll still be one of the favorites to win. But they arent without flaws.

[ArbitraryWater]

Ill never forget how absolutely useless this bum was in vital playoff games for the Mavs

That Clippers game 7 alone.. yikes