The Boston Celtics cruised to the NBA 2024 Finals, suffering just two losses in the entire NBA playoffs so far.
The best part is that they did this without starting center Kristaps Porzingis, who is the anchor of their defense and produces 20 points a game.
The Celtics are playing their best basketball these days, and with KP set to return after a month of recovery, some people think he might disrupt the team's flow.
Does the Celtics still need Porzingis when they battle the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals?
For KP, what his team accomplished without him is part of the system they built starting from the regular season.
He thought the team was built to have people step up when the other is out.
"I think it speaks volumes for the whole roster," he told reporters.
"Obviously, we've had, throughout the season, we already went through some things. Some guys are out, some of the lineups were changing, and we've kind of prepared ourselves for this."
The Celtics seemed unbeatable in the regular season, but based on their win-loss record, they ended up being the league's best team.
Porzingis saw the injury bay multiple times, while Al Horford and Jrue Holiday also had to sit out some games due to injuries.
Other teammates stepped up for Porzingis, who was out since the first round against the Miami Heat.
Long-time Celtic Al Horford made a good account of himself as the new starting center.
His best game was the series-clincher against the Cleveland Cavaliers when he scored 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.
Porzingis said Horford's play is a testament to their hard work during the elimination round.
"Seeing the level that Al was playing at, and other guys that stepped in and had minutes, it just shows that the work that they've been doing throughout the season has-It's paying off," he explained.
Kristaps Porzingis returns vs Mavericks
KP's teammates believe his presence is huge for them in their title quest.
The lift they are looking for has arrived as the one-time All-Star is confirmed to return for Game 1 at TD Garden.
Porzingis joined the 5-on-5 practice over the weekend, and coach Joe Mazzulla said he "did everything" that the other guys did during the session.
He said he is now free of pain but is not sure if he is already at 100 percent.
He savors the long rest the Celtics earned by immediately finishing their assignments.
"I don't know. We'll see," he said.
"Done a lot of work up until this point. Done everything needed to get back into playing shape. We'll see."
The NBA 2024 Finals will start on Thursday, and the Celtics appear as overwhelming favorites in the series.
KP will face his former team, who traded him away after a failed experiment with Luka Doncic.
The only two times he reached the postseason were when he was still wearing the Dallas colors, and both times, they were eliminated in the first round.
Related article: Kristaps Porzingis Did 'Everything' During Practice as He Enters Next Stage of His Recovery
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