It was every thing the Backyard envisioned — however in inexperienced and white.
A decade after being chosen as the way forward for the Knicks, Kristaps Porzingis saved among the best performances of his profession to serve his former group with its most painful lack of the season, scoring 34 factors (8-for-13 3-pointers) — together with the game-winning shot with 41.2 seconds left in extra time — within the Celtics’ 119-117 win Tuesday night time at Madison Sq. Backyard.
“Enjoying right here, it’s all the time actually enjoyable,” Porzingis mentioned. “The followers are tremendous into the sport. They love the Knicks. I loved taking part in right here as a house participant and now additionally on the highway.”
The previous fan favourite began gradual, scoring simply two factors within the first quarter, however quickly unleashed a string of deep 3s, profiting from the wide-open appears repeatedly provided.
The injury-prone large man, who has been restricted to 40 video games this season, performed the a part of the “unicorn” that Kevin Durant found, the participant with limitless potential and inimitable ability, whose lone All-Star Sport choice got here with the Knicks in 2018.
Main the Celtics again from an early 11-point gap, Porzingis stole the present within the third quarter, hitting 4 3-pointers, together with a 39-foot bomb from the emblem, which left the group in awe and angst.
“The ball rolled to me, I mentioned, ‘That is future,’ ” Porzingis mentioned. “I let it fly with out pondering an excessive amount of. These are the very best sorts of nights, simply taking part in free and letting it fly and photographs are entering into. As soon as I noticed the ball stored entering into, I let it fly with out pondering. It was an excellent night time.”
Porzingis took a again seat within the fourth quarter as Jayson Tatum took over.
Then, the 7-foot-2 Latvian hit a pair of free throws to interrupt a tie with 1:51 remaining in extra time.
After Jalen Brunson’s jumper evened the sport at 112, Porzingis made certainly one of his greatest photographs within the constructing.
As Karl-Anthony Cities helped on a driving Derrick White, Porzingis stepped again deep past the arc, receiving the kick out and simply hitting the three over the outstretched arms of Brunson.
“They did a late change and I created a bit of separation,” Porzingis mentioned. “It was a fairly deep one and I simply let it fly with out conscience. We have been simply making performs for one another down the stretch … I’m pleased with the best way we responded and got here out with the win.”
