Opening tipoff 2023 — a 108-104 victory over the New York Knicks on October 25 at Madison Square Garden — left a palpable, lasting buzz among Boston Celtics fans. What may have shocked most people was how perfectly the C’s marquee offseason trade splash Kristaps Porzingis fit with his teammates. The Latvian big showed three-point shooting and rim running that make him a legitimate threat to every defense, while his own rim protection should scare opposing offenses from approaching the paint against Boston.
For the past few seasons, the Celtics have had a clear-cut one and two on offense: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, that pecking order may be in question.
While the former lottery pick for the rival New York Knicks came into the league with very high expectations and showed he could deliver, over the past few seasons, Porzingis has not found himself in situations where he could be a key component of a championship team. Or anything close.
However, this year with the Boston Celtics he has a chance to show everyone why he has always been one of the most talented players in the league. And he may be the second-most talented player on the Cs already.
Boston Celtics could rotating cast of No. 1 options night in and night out
Now that Porzingis has the chance to prove himself, he will shine and his talent could make him develop into the No. 2 option for the Boston Celtics; and on some nights, even the team’s No. 1 option.
The Celtics are lucky enough to have the best problem you can have: in their starting five they currently have three players that could be number one on other teams in the NBA.
Porzingis is a seven-foot-three stretch center who can do it all, and he’ll shine for the Boston Celtics like everyone knew that he would when he was drafted No. 4 overall in 2015. His skill set makes him unguardable, and with so many other amazing players around him, he will continue to dominate for the Boston Celtics; as the No. 1 option some nights, No. 2 others, No. 3 other times, and so on and so forth.