Celtics cruise past Clippers 126-94 in Kristaps Porzingis’ return

When the season started, the belief was that Kristaps Porzingis would return to the ground someday in December.

As Porzingis continued to make progress following ankle surgical procedure in late June, it turned clear that he could also be again before anticipated. On Monday – sure, in late November, effectively forward of schedule – the Celtics introduced that Porzingis was formally obtainable.

He supplied a spark towards the Clippers, contributing 16 factors on 6-of-12 taking pictures, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal in 23 minutes and steering the Celtics to a 126-94 win at TD Backyard. The Celtics (15-3) have now received six straight after snapping the Clippers’ (11-8) five-game win streak with a whole effort.

“It has been killing me inside not to have the ability to be on the market, however it was well worth the wait,” Porzingis informed NBC Sports activities Boston’s Abby Chin.

Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 20 factors every, with Pritchard ending plus-30 in a stunning show. Ivica Zubac paced the Clippers with 23 factors and 10 boards.

Boston shot 51.1 % from the ground and 43.1 % from 3-point vary, connecting on 22 3-pointers and racking up 33 assists.

Porzingis wasted no time firing away, lacking a 3-pointer on the Celtics’ first possession and making a 3 on the subsequent. He instantly made his presence felt defensively, utilizing his size to change pictures on the rim and offering an inside presence the Celtics have lacked for a lot of the season. Porzingis appeared a bit rusty at instances, however he was his ordinary energetic and disruptive self nearly all of the evening.

“I did have a pair flat tires on some lobs,” Porzingis stated. “ … I believe with every recreation, I’m solely going to search out my rhythm extra.”

The Celtics, enjoying with out Al Horford and Luke Kornet, used Porzingis within the excessive choose and roll early and infrequently. That organically yielded open seems to be for shooters within the corners and on the wings.

Boston used a 14-5 flurry to tug forward and took a 27-20 lead into the second. Tatum led the best way with 9 factors, 7 rebounds and a couple of assists within the quarter, and Neemias Queta added 5 boards off the bench. Each groups shot beneath 40 % within the quarter.

Then, with Brad Stevens on the published within the second quarter, the Celtics resembled precisely the kind of staff he envisioned as he constructed the roster. Stevens joked that Porzingis appeared like a man who hadn’t performed shortly, then famous that after the Celtics noticed him transfer effectively in Abu Dhabi, that they had a hunch he’d return forward of schedule.

Stevens appeared on because the Celtics tied an NBA report for 3’s in any quarter ever with 12. They began six of six, with Pritchard and Sam Hauser doing a lot of the harm.

“This man loves basketball a lot,” Stevens stated of Pritchard. “He works as arduous as anyone I’ve ever been round.”

Jaylen Brown (17 factors) then exploded for 10 factors in 73 seconds – connecting on a 4-point play, and and-one and a 3 again to again to again. Brown then discovered Porzingis for a signature “Cookies and Cream” alley-oop that despatched the group right into a frenzy.

Zubac and James Harden (19 factors, 9 assists) had been regular for the Clippers, however the Celtics had method an excessive amount of firepower for Los Angeles to deal with. Boston shot 52.9 % from the ground, 47.1 % from 3 and assisted on 18 of 27 area targets within the half. The Celtics additionally out-rebounded a usually bodily Clippers staff, 26-19.

Boston construct a commanding 78-49 halftime lead, erupting for 51 factors within the second quarter – the third-most factors in 1 / 4 in franchise historical past.

“I believe our tempo is unbelievable proper now,” Pritchard informed Chin at halftime. “I believe that is our greatest recreation so far as our tempo, getting up and down. Even after makes, we’re enjoying fast, and it’s permitting us to get simple catch-and-shoot 3’s. After we’re doing that, we’re one of the best within the enterprise.”

The Clippers trimmed the deficit to 84-67 halfway by means of the third, however Porzingis helped the Celtics reclaim momentum with a robust take and end on the rim. Pritchard buried back-to-back 3’s, as Boston took a 99-78 edge into the fourth.

Derrick White (19 factors, 7 assists) splashed a 3 to increase the margin to 108-81 with 9:05 remaining. Queta threw down a thunderous slam, Jordan Walsh and White swatted pictures and Queta completed in site visitors to place the ending touches on a dominant win.

The Celtics have 4 days off, then will face the Bulls on Friday and Cavaliers on Sunday on the street.