“I used to be horrible tonight,” Kristaps Porzingis advised reporters after the Celtics’ 20-point loss to the Pistons. He wasn’t mistaken — 11 factors, 2 rebounds and 1 help on 4/11 from the sphere is a tough night time for a participant of Porzingis’ caliber.
He had no rhythm to his recreation all night time. He was lacking pictures across the rim, not getting in place to get rebounds and wasn’t his ordinary forceful self on the defensive finish.
No play higher outlined this recreation for Porzingis that his final shot of the sport.
Brutal.
He did have 3 steals and was 2/3 from past the arc, so it was not all dangerous, however that doesn’t change the truth that this was a nasty recreation for Porzingis.
He was a late scratch from Tuesday night time’s win in opposition to the Raptors as a result of an sickness so he was seemingly nonetheless feeling the impacts from that which is why I’m keen to offer him a cross on Wednesday’s tough efficiency.
It was additionally a tough night time for Jrue Vacation who completed with 4 factors, 2 rebounds and three turnovers on 2/10 from the sphere and 0/5 from three. Vacation was simply lacking numerous the open seems he sometimes makes.
This can be a wide-open look that Vacation simply misses. Nice drive and kick from Derrick White, who had an superior recreation, to offer it to Jrue within the nook however he missed the look.
It was an off night time for Jrue after he got here off certainly one of his finest video games of the season in Boston’s win in opposition to the Knicks on Sunday.
After the sport, individuals on X had been speaking about how Jrue is washed and his contract will change into a problem for the Celtics.
No one talks about how washed Jrue vacation has been this season
— ️ (@Shrimpahh) February 27, 2025
Jrue Vacation is washed, this is not the identical man from final season
— Ok (@PiocheX10) February 27, 2025
Are we actually this involved over a February loss to the most popular crew within the NBA?
Vacation has proven us he has a swap on the defensive finish that he can flip when the playoffs come round. Positive, the shot has not been pretty much as good because it was a season in the past, however Vacation was by no means going to shoot 60% on nook threes two seasons in a row.
Will the $37 million be value it when Vacation is 37 years outdated? Who is aware of? Al Horford remains to be taking part in excessive stage hoops at 38 years outdated. Horford’s protection was not all the time there final season, however he was in a position to flip the swap when the playoffs got here round and when KP went down within the Miami collection, Al was able to step up.
Under no circumstances am I panicked that Vacation hasn’t been taking part in properly. I’m not going to name for him to be traded this summer time and I’m not going to name him washed.
On the second leg of a back-to-back by which Vacation rested on the entrance finish, the Celtics wanted him to ship a great efficiency in opposition to the most popular crew within the league.
As an alternative, Jrue laid an egg and it performed a giant motive to why the Celtics misplaced.
