This one had all the makings of a playoff flashpoint — and Beantown wasn’t having any of it. Jayson Tatum, Boston’s iron man in the postseason, had never missed a playoff game before. Except tonight, as he missed Game 2 after a reckless — some would say malicious — foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope that sent the Garden into a frenzy. The moment Tatum hit the floor clutching his wrist, you could feel the air get sucked out of the building. And when the replay showed KCP hitting Tatum’s arms mid-air while he was going for a dunk? It wasn’t just a Flagrant 1 — it was personal.

Horford, the ever-calm vet, didn’t hesitate. “Nah, you don’t do my boy like that,” might not have been on the mic, but it was written all over his face. Charging toward KCP, standing chest-to-chest, he delivered the kind of message that never shows up in the box score: you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

But for Caldwell-Pope, it was an everyday part of his game. You can just hear the screams of the 90s ultras of the NBA jumping in joy due to the potential return of the roughness they adored and missed. “This is how I’ve been playing in playoff basketball. A hard foul is a hard foul. I really don’t care what anybody says. I’m still gonna play how I play, how I’m supposed to play for my team at the end of the day.”

Just to confirm, this foul is why Jayson Tatum did not play due to Coach’s Decision after being listed as probable. And this could cause the entirety of Boston wanting his head on a stick. It does seem like Orlando will need a Hail Mary to even attempt a series win over the reigning champs. But oh well—they wouldn’t be a competitive if they didn’t try, right?

You could chalk this down to KCP’s “warrior mentality” that makes him think like this. Not everyone has it. But whoever does, reaps the benefits. For Magic, that’s KCP. But any guesses to who that might be for the Greens? Doesn’t take a rocket scientist. It is, of course, Kristaps Porzingis.

Kristaps Porzingis eyeing for redemption in Celtics’ second consecutive championship run

The world knows of Kristaps’ value to the Celtics. Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the attacking forefront due to their trust in their Latvian warrior. A great attack wins you games, but a great defense wins you titles. And that’s exactly what Boston got Porzingis in for. But then came- Porzingis’ period of great pain. Not physically, though- this pain was all mental.

In game 2 of the 2024 NBA finals, Porziņģis left early after suffering a “torn medial retinaculum, allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon” in his left leg. It’s exceptionally rare—there are fewer than 40 cases reported in the literature. It typically requires surgery to restore normal function. But then clocked in his warrior mentality—nothing could stop him until his dreams were fulfilled.

“He wanted to play, he wanted to participate badly and, as we see probably, he didn’t hurt himself more with that game,” said trainer and friend Žanis Peiners. “But still it was pretty crazy that he played. You’ve probably never seen him, his feet. I didn’t see any picture posted anywhere, but the surgery and the scar … it’s huge. It looks like he had leg (transplant) or something like that. It’s not like some surgery, like an easy one. It’s serious surgery and he somehow played in the Finals with that. [Which is] crazy to me.”

After years of being cast as the injury-prone enigma, Kristaps Porziņģis has flipped the script. Playing only 42 games as the hunted – marked, doubted, and dissected – he’s now reclaiming the role he was born for: the predator. The Unicorn isn’t hiding in the forest anymore. He’s charging down the lane with a vengeance, making the uncomfortable look effortless.

And Boston? They’re not just trying to win. They’re trying to erase doubt. Jayson Tatum, bruised but unbroken. Jaylen Brown, as sharp as ever. And Porziņģis, with his eyes on legacy, not just stats. This is no longer a “Big Two” — it’s a trio forged in purpose, and the Magic are just the next spell to break.

Meanwhile, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is sticking to his guns, showing no signs of remorse after a foul that had the Garden gasping and Al Horford ready to throw hands. That attitude? It’s fuel. It’s the exact thing Boston feeds off of — adversity dressed as arrogance.

But if anyone’s ready to match that fire, it’s KP. He’s been through the wars, the surgeries, the headlines. And now? He’s the X-factor in a Celtics squad built for banners.

Strap in. This series isn’t just basketball — it’s personal vendettas, legacies on the line, and a 7’3” sniper who’s tired of waiting for redemption.