With out Jayson Tatum, the Celtics wanted everybody else to step up. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown definitely did their half, however who may have seen Luke Kornet elevating so dramatically?
This was not the Kornet the Knicks noticed throughout his time with the workforce. Not the Kornet, now with the Celtics, the Knicks had actually seen but this collection.
Not the Kornet that has been the norm all through his profession.
However Wednesday’s model of Kornet crushed the Knicks of their 127-102 Recreation 5 loss to the Celtics at TD Backyard. He had 10 factors — on excellent 5-for-5 taking pictures from the sphere — together with 9 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks in 26 minutes off the bench. He outplayed Karl-Anthony Cities, which needs to be exhausting to imagine. He bullied the Knicks inside.
Kornet turned the primary participant in NBA playoff historical past to report a recreation with not less than 10 factors, 9 rebounds and 7 blocks on one hundred pc taking pictures.
The seven blocks had been tied for second-most in Celtics playoff historical past.
“Luke was enormous,” Jaylen Brown mentioned after the sport. “Defensively and offensively, he was stellar. That’s the varieties of performances we’d like within the playoffs. Defensively, getting stops, making performs, large finishes — he bought that backwards lob. Luke was nice.”
Kornet’s breakout exhibiting got here as Kristaps Porzingis struggled and didn’t play in any respect within the second half. He continues to battle his undisclosed sickness, and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned after the sport that Porzingis “couldn’t breathe” and was solely accessible if completely mandatory within the second half.
Porzingis performed simply 12 minutes, had one level and didn’t hit a subject objective. Kornet’s 26 minutes had been his many of the playoffs because of this.
Going ahead, Mazzulla may definitely begin Kornet rather than Porzingis if the latter continues to really feel lower than one hundred pc or wrestle.
Kornet performed the whole third quarter, when the Celtics outscored the Knicks 32-17.
It’s honest to say Kornet has turn into extra of a fear for the Knicks than Porzingis.
“I used to be simply making an attempt to make performs,” Kornet mentioned. “Clearly, our season’s on the road, making an attempt to have so much vitality and make performs. … It’s type of how I’ve been all through this yr and all through my time with the Celtics and all through my profession. No matter coach asks me to do, I’m simply there to do it. Whether or not I’m beginning or coming off the bench or not enjoying in any respect, that type of comes with [that] accountability … and also you simply should do your greatest job with no matter place you’re put in.”
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The Celtics had Kornet guard Josh Hart, with Jrue Vacation on Cities.
That allowed Kornet to camp within the paint and act as a floating assist defender, notably on Jalen Brunson and Cities — just like what the Pistons did towards the Knicks with Jalen Duren.
It’s a method that paid enormous dividends, and one Mazzulla may proceed to make use of.
“He was nice on each ends of the ground,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Did an amazing job defending the rim, did an amazing job defending with out fouling. I simply thought his presence was good, particularly on the rebounding finish — 9 rebounds, two offensive ones. He made some big-time performs for us.”
