‘He was unbelievable’: an inspired Luke Kornet helped the Celtics keep their season alive

On the verge of elimination, with Jayson Tatum out and Kristaps Porzingis a shell of himself, the Celtics needed a jolt Wednesday night to keep their season alive.

Enter Luke Kornet. Kornet, always a steady presence, picked an ideal time to have quite possibly the best defensive game of his career.

He flew around the floor and made the Knicks look foolish for disrespecting him over and over again. Each block was more emphatic and demoralizing than the last, and each dunk more thunderous and rim-rattling.

Kornet exploded for 10 points (5-of-5 shooting), 9 rebounds and a whopping 7 blocks, finishing plus-20 in 26 minutes and shifting the complexion of the game entirely. He had plenty of help from Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and more, but Kornet was just as instrumental as anyone in helping the Celtics secure a 127-102 Game 5 triumph.

“I feel like I was just trying to make plays,” Kornet told reporters. “Obviously, our season’s on the line, so trying to have a lot of energy.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla credited Kornet for making some “big-time plays.”

“He was great,” Mazzulla told reporters. “Both ends of the floor. Did a great job protecting the rim. Did a great job defending without fouling. Did a great job on both ends of the floor. So just thought his presence was good, especially in the rebounding.”

Kornet became the first player in NBA playoff history with at least 10 points, 9 rebounds, 7 blocks and a perfect field-goal percentage in a game. The Celtics and Knicks were knotted at 59 at halftime, and Kornet’s monster third quarter swung momentum in the Celtics’ favor for good.

Once they built the lead, he helped them continue to play with pace and preserve it. Kornet even got the chance to do the interview on TNT prior to the fourth quarter.

“I unfortunately was a little tired and didn’t have my usual wit and charm,” Kornet deadpanned.

Kornet, who had only logged 20-plus minutes once in the playoffs coming in, has proven to always be there when the Celtics need him. This was another level, as he looked like a Bill Russell-Robert Williams-Greg Stiemsma hybrid.

Brown called his performance “stellar,” and White agreed, noting that he was “barking with him.”

“He was unbelievable,” White told reporters. “He came in and just seemed to always be in the right position. Seven blocks is crazy.”

This play below was simply beautiful basketball. The block, the hustle, the extra pass, the slip, the throwdown. Pristine (shout-out to Sam Hauser for the well-timed feed).

Look at this dunk and block. Are you kidding me? The athleticism! Who knew?

While Kornet may not be able to replicate this exact statistical showing moving forward in the series (or ever again, for that matter), the type of game he played is sustainable.

He provides a different look as a rim protector, screen setter and roller. Kornet doesn’t force anything, lets the game come to him and consistently makes life easier for his teammates.

There’s no reason the Celtics shouldn’t play him roughly 20 to 25 minutes in Game 6, regardless of how Porzingis looks. If Boston wins that one, and Kornet goes off in Game 7, the place might explode. One game at a time, but this was a gutsy effort, to say the least.

On a night where the Celtics played with passion and purpose, clearly with Tatum in mind, Kornet was as critical in spearheading a signature triumph as anyone against his former team.

“We just have to take it one game at a time,” Kornet told reporters. “For today, it was just to make it back to New York.”