By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Kristaps Porzingis was fully ready after recovering from a sprained left ankle. The Latvian forward/center returned to the starting lineup of Joe Mazzulla and helped the Boston Celtics defeat the Indiana Pacers in TD Garden on Tuesday.
“Sometimes, it does not even take words. We just look at each other, ‘Come on, we got to go.’ And that is it,” he commented on his side preventing the visitors from completing a comeback from a 20-point deficit, “If we want to be that caliber team, we need to have that kind of mindset and trust in each other.”
Posting a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double, Porzingis resurfaced additional options in offense and was also key defensively with his presence on the court. Contribution on both ends of the court certainly strengthens the championship bid.
“If you are taken out of the game or something does not go your way, we are here just to win and do whatever is best for the team,” he noted, “If we all keep that mindset, it will be a special year.”
Leading the Regular Season standings with a 37-11 record, the C’s are looking into homecourt advantage throughout the 2024 Playoffs. Seeking further improvement is the task shared by Porzingis.
“We are really good. We can win games without being 100% locked in. We can still win games,” he explained, “That is not what we are trying to achieve. We want to be the best version of this team.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images