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Porzingis candidly compares Celtics experience to previous NBA stops originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Kristaps Porzingis loves playing in Boston.
That much is obvious, not only because the Celtics big man has said so on several occasions, but also because he seems to play with a permanent smile plastered to his face.
Porzingis’ joy is partly sparked by the Celtics’ success; after just two playoff appearances (both first-round exits) in his first eight NBA seasons split between the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards, the 7-foot-2 big man got an immediate taste of winning last season as part of Boston’s championship squad and basked in the support of an ultra-passionate fanbase.
So, is suiting up for the Celtics the most fun Porzingis has had as a professional? Following Boston’s 123-99 win over the Detroit Pistons at TD Garden on Thursday, Porzingis responded with a brief yet interesting retrospective of his career to date.
“I definitely enjoy playing here like crazy, right?” Porzingis said. “But I would say I had a lot of fun in Washington too even though we weren’t winning. I really enjoyed my time there.
“I always enjoy playing for the (Latvia) national team — a lot of joy there because you’re not forced, you’re there because you want (to be there). It’s a different vibe. I also had some good years in Spain (before joining the NBA), too.”
In short, Porzingis has had fun nearly everywhere he’s played — with one notable exception.
“Of course, my time in Dallas was a bit more like grinding my teeth and trying to get that joy,” Porzingis added. “But also New York — honestly, I always enjoy basketball. Just a little bit of maybe I lost it a little bit in Dallas.
“Then in Washington, nobody really paid that much attention, but I was having a lot of fun, and then obviously now you guys see me and see my vibe, smiling and happy.”
The Knicks traded Porzingis to Dallas in January 2019 to pair him with fellow European superstar Luka Doncic, but that experiment went sideways in a hurry. Then-head coach Rick Carlisle utilized Porzingis in more of a floor-spacing role,…
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Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-12-13 16:48:00
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