What will Kristaps Porzingis’ workload look like as he takes the court for the first time this season? Joe Mazzulla wouldn’t say.
But he expects the 7-foot-2 center to make an immediate impact for the Celtics.
“I don’t really know on the minutes,” Mazzulla said before Monday night’s matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden. “He’s worked hard. He’s in good shape. We’ll put him in a position to be healthy and successful and do what’s best for the team, and I think pretty consistent just based on his work ethic and what he’s done to get to this point.”
Mazzulla said he knew for “probably a week or so” that Porzingis would make his season debut against the Clippers after undergoing offseason leg surgery and sitting out Boston’s first 17 games. He anticipates an “adjustment period” as opponents determine the best methods of guarding Porzingis, who rejoins a Celtics offense that’s attempted nearly 100 more 3-pointers than any other NBA club.
Defensively, Boston will benefit from Porzingis’ versatility and rim protection.
“With him, you’re able to play different,” Mazzulla said. “You’re able to switch less, keep your matchups a little bit different. We haven’t had as much versatility with him out, so we’ll look to have a little bit more versatility. I expect him to start impacting that tonight.”
No other Celtics player can replicate Porzingis’ skill set on both ends of the floor, but Boston won 14 of its first 17 games without him — after going 31-6 in games the big man missed last season. Mazzulla was asked whether the Celtics considered slow-playing his return, which was not expected to come until December at the earliest.
“I just listen to when they tell me he’s ready to play,” Mazzulla replied.
Mazzulla would not say whether Porzingis would have a specific minutes limitation against the Clippers. His top two backups, Al Horford (illness) and Luke Kornet (hamstring), both were ruled out for Monday’s game, leaving Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta as the only other bigs on Boston’s depth chart.
“We’re going to do what’s best for him and do what’s best for the team,” Mazzulla said.
That included inserting Porzingis back into the starting lineup for the first time in 32 games, dating back to last postseason. Monday marked the first time Boston’s preferred top five of Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Porzingis started a game together since Game 4 of the Celtics’ first-round playoff series against Miami.
They went 27-5 in the interim.
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