Boston Celtics: Do Not Expect One Matchup for Porzingis

The Boston Celtics will need more than one player to defend Kristaps Porzingis

The Boston Celtics get a nice opportunity to start a winning streak against one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks. The Celtics have struggled, but they need to be able to take care of the New York Knicks any time they play.

Unfortunately, the Celtics will probably not be good enough yet to win that convincingly, and that means we are just one crazy Kristaps Porzingis performance from the Knicks stealing that game.

The Celtics know that if they are able to hold down Porzingis, then they will not have to be even close to their best to beat the Knicks. The Celtics have been far form their best, but they should be able to put things together a bit better after three days off.

That has given the Celtics more than enough time to figure out all the different ways they can attempt to defend Porzingis, because there really will not be an easy answer.

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Al Horford is the first guy you go to, because of the position. The same goes for Aron Baynes, but he really does not have the versatility to be more than extra resistance in the paint. Horford also has some nice mobility, and could stay with a big as skilled as Porzingis. The problem is that if he is drawing him out to the three point line, which we know he can do, the Celtics become too vulnerable on the inside, and Horford is less effective on the outside on defense.

Chances are the Celtics will go with their most physically versatile defenders. Marcus Smart always comes up as the most versatile, but with his ankles the Celtics need to have other options.

On top of that, Porzingis really is stretching Smart’s versatility beyond physically possible limits. Smart can guard bigs, but he is way too vulnerable to getting shot over every single time.

The Celtics will have to throw out their versatile wings, and see if their added height can help slow him down.

Jaylen Brown could see a portion of the responsibility. He is proving to be an outstanding defender, and he is the only one that has the physical ability to make up for being so undersized.

There will have to be help involved no matter what, and it is hard to imagine any one player sticking to him the entire game. because changing things up is one more way they can try to throw him off.

With a size mis match, there will always be a weakness for Porzingis to exploit, by changing up the defender, it will be harder for Porzingis to identify what he needs to exploit.

With that in mind, even Jayson Tatum could get a chance to matcup. Chances are Porzingis would be able to attack him, but he can surprise people with his length, and that can be disruptive to a player who is used to exposing people because of length.

The number one priority is always going to be Porzingis on the Knicks, but that will not be the only part of Stevens’ game plan. Since it is pretty much impossible to find an individual defender who can effectively matchup to Porzingis, a lot of the defense can be determined by everyone else.

The Celtics can look to make plays and be disruptive enough off the ball, that Porzingis will be forced into more mistakes. The Celtics needs to make sure they are winning everywhere else, and then they do not need to be as worried about one player destroying the game.

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The Celtics should be able to win this game on the offensive end alone, but defense is where it will get easier. If the Celtics want to have the kind of commanding victory that is expected from a top team against the Knicks, then everything will come from how they approach Porzingis on defense.

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