Kristaps Porzingis reacted to the reception he got in his first game back in Boston.
Kristaps Porzingis has been a mixed bag since he came over to the Golden State Warriors in a trade that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline.
He's missed a majority of the games since then due to Achilles tendinitis and an illness, but over the past few games, it seems like he's been coming around to being at least somewhat healthy.
On the six-game road trip the Warriors are currently on, they're facing off with all five of Porzingis' old teams, and though he missed the game against the Knicks on Sunday, he dropped 30 against the Wizards on Monday, then was welcomed back to his most successful stop, the Boston Celtics.
Although the Warriors ended up losing 120-99, Porzingis was able to be in the TD Garden, returning for the first time in front of the Boston crowd.
Kristaps Porzingis Reacts To The Reception In His Return To Boston
After the game, Porzingis talked about what it felt like to return to Boston and face off against his former teammates.
"It was a nice ovation. I had a great time here, a great couple years. I know the fans appreciated me, and it was good to be back here. They know me very well, obviously. They did a super good job on me. I didn't shoot the ball well because they know me best, so hats off to them."
Porzingis also gave an update on his road to recovery as he continues his return from his various ailments.
"I still got a good way to go, honestly. For example today, I felt like my engine was a bit in overdrive. I don't know if it was coming back (to Boston) but I didn't feel my best today. Last game, I would say I felt better. I expect with each game to get closer and closer. 60% for me to feel really good. It's only going to get better with time."
Porzingis Contributes Nicely Even With Poor Shooting
Even though Porzingis only shot 4-13 from the field and 2-7 from beyond the arc, he still managed to make a positive impact on the game.
In fact, Porzingis ended up as the only positive plus/minus from the Warriors. He finished at +3 in his 23 minutes of action, with the next best players being a net-zero by Nate Williams in 5 minutes, a -3 from new signee Omer Yurtseven in 5 minutes, and a -4 by Gui Santos in 28 minutes.
Porzingis' final stat line clocked in at 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. The defensive numbers alone are eye-popping, in addition to an absence of turnovers.
He still managed to turn in his fourth-straight double-digit performance, and if Porzingis can get rolling with his health and start to play 30+ minutes in a game, things could be looking up down the stretch for the Warriors.