Yes, that is right, halftime hot takes are back, but this is really just a hot take because I only have one thing to say.
Joe Mazzulla needs to stop playing Kristaps Porzingis.
In a game that is tied at halftime, Porzingis is a -12.
How does that happen?
Players scoring the highest % of their points from the FT line in the playoffs (min 8 PPG & 4GP)
Porzingis: 36.2% of PTS from FTM—8.9 PPG
Ausar: 30.4%—11.5
Hunter: 28.9%—10.9
Allen: 28.6%—14.0
Butler: 28.4%—19.4
Gobert: 27.8%—8.0
Doncic: 27.1%—30.2
SGA: 27.2%—27.6 pic.twitter.com/780YPUOOA5— NBA University (@NBA_University) May 13, 2025
Kristaps Porzingis is scoring 36% of his points from the foul line. That isn’t because he is getting to the line a ton — he only took 13 free throws in this series entering tonight. No, it is because he cannot score from anywhere else.
Entering Game 5, he was shooting 29% from the field and 20% from three. That cannot happen; he’s 7 foot 3! How is he shooting that poorly? He hasn’t made the easy shots at the rim either. No, he did not make a shot in the first half, only scoring 1 point from the foul line.
His defense hasn’t been much better either. He has been getting cooked in every which way. The drop is a mess, he can’t switch and he is allowing the Knicks to make most every shot at the rim he is on the court, the rim protection hasn’t been there.
When the Celtics do get a stop, he is getting eaten alive on the glass by Mitchell Robinson who had 15 offensive rebounds in the series entering Game 5.
This virus is clearly affecting him in a major way so why do the Celtics keep putting him in the lineup?
He has shown to be a huge liability on the floor and needs to be put on the bench.
