The Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in basketball. Fresh off their dominant championship run last season, they are looking to be the first back-to-back title-winners since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. And after a 14-3 start to the season, they got Kristaps Porzingis back.
Porzingis missed the first 17 games of the season while he was recovering from offseason surgery to repair a foot injury he sustained in the NBA Finals. And in his first game back this year, Porzingis helped Boston dominate the LA Clippers, picking up a 32-point victory. The Latvian center gives the Celtics a huge boost on both ends.
And Derrick White is thrilled to have him back.
Kristaps Porzingis wlil be huge help to Celtics defense
After a recent Celtics practice, White spoke about how helpful Porzingis will be on the defensive side of the ball, throwing in a joke about letting him get all the blocks.
“I’ll just let him block the shots and not me,” White said with a smile. “KP just does a lot for us. Obviously, rim protection. Just kind of his presence and everything. Just nice to have him out there.”
In his first season with the Celtics last year, Porzingis’ defensive impact was wildly underrated. His ability to diversify their offense with post moves and deep three-point shooting overshadowed just how helpful he was on defense.
Porzingis struggled to deal with some of the league’s biggest centers in the post, but as a help defender, he was a monster. He cleaned up a ton of messes at the rim for Boston, and he should be able to do the same this year.
White, on the other hand, is one of the most unique shot-blockers in the league. He’s probably the best shot-blocking guard in the NBA right now, and he may be the best since Dwyane Wade.
He’s able to block shots in a variety of ways, whether it’s standing up against centers in the post, chasing down guys in transition, or helping over from the weak side like Porzingis.
Obviously, White’s shot-blocking prowess won’t go away just because Porzingis is back in action. If anything, the two Celtics stars will help each other, boosting Boston’s defense as a whole.
Boston’s paint defense so far this season has been less than stellar, but having both Porzingis and White active should dissuade opposing players from taking tough layups or shots inside the restricted area.
