It hasn’t been smooth sailing for KP since he has returned from injury, but last night, the Celtics pulled out an ugly win against the Denver Nuggets, largely behind the play of Kristaps Porzingis.
Last season, Porzingis took the Celtics to unforeseen heights on both ends of the court. With Porzingis on the court, the Celtics had a 10.58 net rating. This season, in 356 minutes, the Celtics have a 2.50 net rating — a profound difference. This matches the eye test and individual production.
KP has not looked as comfortable punishing smaller players in the post.