With Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks likely to reach the NBA Finals, the predictions for the championship have started to roll in and JJ Redick has made his choice already. The Boston Celtics have got their ticket to the Finals, but the last round will not be an easy one. They will be facing either the Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves, two of the most competitive teams. Yet, JJ Redick is willing to place his bets on a 7’2 star from the Celtics, who he believes can change the outcome of the Finals.

The Celtics have lost only 2 games in the postseason so far, showcasing their tenacity and dominance. The notable part is that they did this without the help of their star big man, Kristaps Porzingis, who was sidelined all playoffs. Anyhow, with more than a week left for the Finals, Redick thinks the Latvian center can make a huge difference if he returns. 

In his appearance on the Old Man & The Three podcast, Redick said, “One of the things that Dallas has become is a really good defensive team, particularly against isolation. Boston obviously, a heavy isolation team…Porzingis’s health is important here. He could be a problem that Dallas can’t solve.”

Redick detailed further, “His ability to sort of space the floor and also punish mismatches… This is like you get to this stage at the season, and it is a little bit of adjustments, and not who is out working someone or who wants it more.”

With that said, the potential future head coach of the NBA is choosing the Boston Celtics to win the title this year. However, this will happen only if Porzingis returns to the lineup. 

What message did Kristaps Porzingis share ahead of the ultimate battle? 

Porzingis was last seen in a green uniform in the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat. The 28-year-old suffered a calf strain, which did not let him play the next two rounds of playoffs. Regardless, the Celtics were still dominant in both the Conference Semi-Finals and Finals. After the Boston unit clinched their spot for the Finals, Porzingis shared a message to his fans. 

The 7’2 center wrote on X, “Thank you to everyone who supports and sympathizes throughout the season. I’ll be back in line soon. See you in the finals”, confirming that he will be back in the lineup when it will matter the most. 

In the 57 games he played in the regular season, Porzingis averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds. In the four games he played in the playoffs this year, he averaged 12.3 points with 39% shooting. The Celtics have 8 players, who have shot more than 100 threes this season. Porzingis is one of them. Moreover, he has been a reliable force on defensive end for the Celtics, averaging 1.9 blocks. This might prove of help if the Mavs, highly favored and trailing just below the Celtics in defensive rating, make it to the finals. So when he returns, the Celtics might shoot the lights out to add another title to their resume.         

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