CLEVELAND — The Celtics used the off day between Jayson Tatum’s game-winning shot at New Orleans and one in every of their largest comeback wins of the final twenty years at Philadelphia to journey between the 2 cities. Luke Kornet, over the following 24 hours, flew throughout three.
Kornet caught a flight to Los Angeles on Saturday, drove a rental automobile to his sister Nicole’s marriage ceremony and celebrated with household earlier than flying at 11 p.m. from LA to Philadelphia. He landed round 8 a.m. earlier than the 6 p.m. tip-off towards the Sixers, caught some sleep and performed 8:55 within the fourth quarter because the Celtics lower 15 factors off the 76ers’ 26-point benefit earlier than successful, 118-110.
“I used to be capable of get in and sleep for a pair hours, and likewise my physique felt good,” Kornet advised CLNS Media/CelticsBlog in Cleveland. “It felt like a kind of days the place emotionally, you’re probably not there. However I felt good bodily and, clearly, simply with the ability to get the win and particularly within the comeback that we did. I used to be glad to have the ability to be again.”
Former Oklahoma and UCLA basketball participant Nicole Kornet, Luke’s older sister, married Joey Gerber, a pitcher with the Rays group. Luke deliberate to attend prematurely, understanding he may achieve this regardless of the small window. He mentioned being there was extra essential than basketball.
On the ground in current weeks, Kornet has thrived and brought over the Celtics’ depth middle function and even closed over Al Horford to start the fourth on Sunday. Since Jan. 1, he leads Boston in +/- and ranks tied nineteenth within the NBA at +109 with Evan Mobley. The bench minutes swung the Celtics’ third sport towards the Cavs, Kornet posting 4 factors, three offensive rebounds, three assists and one steal whereas making each shot makes an attempt. He’s averaging 10.9 factors, 10.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a pair of.0 blocks per 36 minutes, taking pictures 64.8% from the sector.
“His physicality has been top-notch,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned in Cleveland. “His means to guard the rim on protection, he had some nice possessions on Mobley, and offensively, he simply does an awesome job versus the totally different coverages, screening, getting guys open and his offensive rebounds, he’s been elite for us currently.”
Kornet entered Thursday as secure as anybody in his fifth consecutive season with the Celtics. His choice to remain on a one-year contract that retained his Chook rights allowed him a no-trade clause. He advised CLNS/CelticsBlog earlier this season that he had different choices in free company, however determined to stick with Boston resulting from his robust bond with teammates and skill for the Celtics to win.
His play, persevering with to ascend, separated him from a push by Neemias Queta within the entrance courtroom earlier this season. Mazzulla has continued to make the most of double-big lineups, taking part in Horford and Kornet collectively in Tuesday’s bench items towards the Cavs. Two days earlier, he noticed worth in Kornet as a single large who allowed Sam Hauser house on the perimeter. Teammates have praised his levity within the room whereas Kornet was stunned to listen to how his influence has resonated within the +/- class.
“I really feel prefer it’s been a reasonably good, constant span of basketball, he mentioned. “We’ve been extra of a full power and have quite a lot of rapport with Payton (Pritchard) and Sam and Al and quite a lot of occasions J.T. or J.B. with (the second unit). So I really feel like I’m simply coming in and the competitiveness of that group has been nice … I needed to problem myself and proceed rising and being regular and dependable, particularly offensively, rebounding, and defensively, making an attempt to place myself in additional uncomfortable conditions, making an attempt to protect and be extra up-and-down on the ground and embracing the person problem … coming off the championship run simply looking for a brand new degree for myself and I believe I’ve finished that to a sure extent, however I additionally suppose I can nonetheless proceed to develop.”
