Kristaps Porzingis Says Part of Him Is 'Very Happy' for Knicks Fans After ECF Berth
Boston Celtics star Kristaps Porziņģis expressed positive feelings toward his former team after the New York Knicks eliminated the Celtics in the second round of the NBA playoffs on Friday night.
Speaking to reporters after Boston's 119-81 loss to New York in Game 6, Porziņģis said that part of him is "happy" for the Knicks and their fans that they reached the Eastern Conference Finals:
"The support from the Knicks fans was through the roof tonight and all throughout the playoffs. Unbelievable fans, unbelievable city and there's a side of me that's very, very happy for them. I wish them nothing but the best. They're class players that we played against. They've done great things and I wish them nothing but success."
Porziņģis, 29, spent his first three NBA seasons with the Knicks after they selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
After the 7-footer missed the entire 2018-19 campaign due to a torn ACL, the Knicks traded him to the Dallas Mavericks.
Porziņģis was later traded to the Washington Wizards before ultimately landing with the Celtics before the 2023-24 season.
While there was seemingly some apprehension among fans when the Knicks drafted Porziņģis, his first and only All-Star selection to date came while he was with New York in 2017-18, as he averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
Porziņģis achieved his greatest accolade last season when he helped the Celtics win the NBA championship, but things didn't play out quite as well for him and the Celtics in this year's playoffs.
Since late February, Porziņģis has been impacted by an unidentified illness. It caused him to miss eight consecutive games during the regular season, and while he played in all 11 of the Celtics' playoff games, he played fewer than 20 minutes in five of the six games against New York.
Porziņģis averaged just 4.2 points and 3.7 points per game against the Knicks as a result, and that coupled with superstar forward Jayson Tatum tearing his Achilles in Game 4 put the Celtics in a precarious position.
The Knicks took advantage by advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. If the Knicks can beat the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals, it would mark their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
New York has not won a championship since way back in 1973, but with a core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, the Knicks have a legitimate chance to end the drought.
