Most teams find it difficult and intense to face the heat of the merciless road crowd. The Boston Celtics seem to thrive in it. Taking a monumental 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals, they dismissed the Dallas Mavericks in a close encounter. Jayson Tatum found his offensive chord and scored a game-high 31 to counter Kyrie Irving’s onslaught. Brown wrapped up the rest with 31 points while Doncic’s night was cut short by fouling out. In their win, it is easy to forget that the Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis. But Brown assures this has never rattled them.

According to Celtics on CLNA reporter Bobby Manning, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP “They’d been playing all season and all playoffs without him” as per Manning. He cited that to be the reason for the Celtics seeming calm in his absence. But was Porzingis really that aloof this season? Well, the numbers say otherwise, at least to debunk a part of his claim.

During the regular season, when the Boston Celtics finished with the best record in the NBA, the star center participated in 57 contests. He played an integral role in the Shamrocks’ staggering success. He only missed 25 games, which is only a fraction of the entire season. In the 25 games he did miss, the Celtics remained just as triumphant. They only lost four of those games, only one being against a Western Conference opponent.

IPorzingis suffered a right calf injury against the Miami Heat during the first-round series. It took him five weeks to return for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. In his time recovering, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics made quick work of their rivals. In the eleven games he missed, the Celtics only lost once, in a blowout to the Cleveland Cavaliers. They further managed to sweep the Indiana Pacers, although fortune did seem to lean on their side.

Nonetheless, Jaylen Brown also admitted that with the Latvian center, the Celtics ‘at another level’. Porzingis has suffered an unusual injury (torn medial retinaculum) that keeps his status at day-to-day. There is an expectation for the 28-year-old to return and some point during the Finals although he might need surgery to repair the injury after the season. Brown and his other teammates will hope KP is prepared and ready for what could be the crowning game for Boston.

Kristaps Porzingis stats

Porzingis was brought by the Celtics as part of a series of all-out moves to push their winning window. He did exactly what was expected of him. The stretch center was one of the three 20+ point scorers on the team besides Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. In the 57 games he played, Porzingis averaged 20.1 points and shot 51% from the field. His shooting prowess as a seven-footer was paramount in the Celtics’ successful shooting offense. The franchise ranked first in threes made per game, and Porzingis averaged nearly two.

During these playoffs, his participation has been heavily limited alluding to his calf and now leg injury. He has only played in six games this season and has averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. In the NBA Finals, Porzingis acted as the rim protector, collecting five shots. Even with one game less, his blocks are as many as the Dallas Mavericks have as a team.

There’s no doubt that Porzingis improves the Boston Celtics and unlocks their whole potential. He has been critical in their journey this season and will likely be a first-time champion. A fitting reward for his devotion towards the mighty Shamrocks.