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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Things got chippy during tonight’s Celtics vs Rockets clash. Both teams have been dominant so far, sitting comfortably in the second seed of their respective conference. So, everyone expected them to battle it out to gain the upper hand. And that’s exactly what happened as Kristaps Porzingis’ highlight play over Dillon Brooks led to a wild crowd reaction and an unfortunate penalty for the Unicorn.

The incident occurred in the opening minutes of the second quarter. As Porzingis got the ball, he recognized the mismatch on Brooks and decided to post him up. He hit a turnaround jumper but missed. However, the Latvian big recovered brilliantly as he grabbed his own rebound and threw down a nasty one-handed put-back dunk. Hyped after the insane play, the seven-footer bumped into Brooks, who was preparing to inbound the ball.

Sure enough, Kristaps received a tech for his actions. But he didn’t seem to care! Yes, he began chirping at the Rockets stars while backpedaling on defense and signaled the fans to go crazy with his arms wide open. Obviously, the Celtics Nation obliged and erupted to support their beloved superstar, bringing a smile to KP’s face.

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Well, Porzingis will have to pay a standard $2000 fine for the technical foul. However, it was totally worth it because such plays do not come often in a player’s career. Moreover, his antics did not harm the Celtics because Jalen Green missed the resulting free throw. Sure enough, the Cs are always better when Porzingis plays with such intensity, which Joe Mazzulla even highlighted earlier this month.

Joe Mazzulla praised Kristaps Porzingis’ “Physicality” after a dominant performance against the Nuggets

Of course, there is no denying KP’s talent. After all, he played a key role in the Celtics’ championship run last season. Who can forget his 20-point performance in Game 1 of the finals? However, Porzingis has recently returned from a major offseason surgery and is still adjusting to it. Even his averages have declined to 18.9 points and 7.0 rebounds. But when he plays with the intensity he showed tonight, it always boosts the team.

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What’s your perspective on:

Did Porzingis' bold move against Brooks ignite the Celtics' fire or cross the line?

Have an interesting take?

Earlier this month, Porzingis went off for 25 points and 11 rebounds in a win against the Nuggets. It was the first time the big man looked fully healthy since his return. So, Joe Mazzulla noticed it, “For this season, for the way smalls are going on him, I thought it was the most physical that he was and I thought that was the most intentional we were about not only getting him the ball, but getting into the paint against smaller matchups.”

That’s exactly what Kristaps showed tonight as he attacked a smaller Brooks and dominated him. The Celtics fans would hope that the superstar Center can maintain this form and help their team win another title. Do you think he can do it?

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Debate

Did Porzingis' bold move against Brooks ignite the Celtics' fire or cross the line?

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