Porziņģis details his surprisingly effective return, navigating a tough Jokić matchup, and embracing a new bench role after his illness.
Kristaps Porziņģis’ return came with encouragement, exhaustion, and a clearer picture of where he stands physically after missing multiple games. It also came in the form of 25 points off the bench — only the second time in his career he has taken on a reserve role — during the Atlanta Hawks’ 134–133 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
Porziņģis looked comfortable early, moving fluidly in short bursts and settling into the Hawks’ offense as if he hadn’t been away at all. The minutes restriction helped, he said, but so did the pace of the game as Atlanta built a 23-point lead before fading late.
Before long, Porziņģis addressed the question everyone had been waiting on: how he actually felt after the layoff.
With a nod toward his conditioning, he said the response from his body caught him off guard.
“Honestly surprisingly good,” he said, adding that the 20-minute limit allowed him to ease into game speed and that his movement “felt great tonight.”
He made clear his recent absence was not tied to past concerns, describing the illness as something he simply had to wait out.
“No, I wouldn’t say it’s the same thing,” Porziņģis said, explaining it was a matter of “not being healthy healthy” rather than anything more significant.
His return came against the league’s reigning MVP — and one of the NBA’s most daunting centers — as Nikola Jokić piled up 40 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in what became yet another masterclass in control.
Porziņģis said the matchup felt familiar.
“Oh, every time is the same,” he said, later adding that Jokić’s quiet spurts can be misleading. “I looked up at one point and I was like, ‘Oh, he’s not having a good game.’ And he had 29 in that moment.”
Atlanta’s lineup shift placed Porziņģis in an unfamiliar role off the bench, but he brushed aside any concern about adjusting routines or rhythm.
“I always like say to myself that you can put me in like any situation, I’ll figure it out,” he said. He stressed that he is willing to “do whatever is best for the team” as his minutes ramp back up.
The Hawks still had several bright spots despite the loss, none bigger than Jalen Johnson’s historic night. Johnson finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists — becoming the first Hawk to record a triple-double by halftime.
Porziņģis admitted he didn’t realize just how well-rounded Johnson’s game was.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect him to be that good of a passer,” Porziņģis said, pointing to Johnson’s pace, reads and consistency. “This guy wants to be great.”
The Hawks’ final possession unraveled when a potential game-tying three was blocked, leaving Atlanta one point short. Porziņģis said the sequence developed faster than it looked.
“We had opportunities honestly,” he said, noting he was “pretty open” on one action but calling Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s decision understandable given how well he had played.
Porziņģis also elaborated on how Quin Snyder has integrated aspects of the offensive sets he ran in Washington and Boston, something he said has helped smooth his transition.
“Q is a like a offensive mastermind honestly,” Porziņģis said, crediting Snyder for the “decent basketball” the Hawks have managed despite lineup turbulence.
Atlanta surrendered its once-comfortable lead as Denver found rhythm in the fourth quarter. Porziņģis said the shift was as much about momentum as execution.
“They were kind of in control… they had a run,” he said, pointing to the open threes and energy swings that ultimately decided the game.
Still, his tone at the end was more optimistic than frustrated.
“Honestly like even though it’s a loss but I’m like happy with the way we fought… happy with being back,” he said.
Now 13–11, the Hawks will attempt to stop their three-game skid when they host Washington on Saturday.