BOSTON — Kristaps Porzingis was still smiling as he walked into the Celtics’ locker room, blood trickling from a fresh cut on his head. Late in the third quarter, Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze caught him with a hard elbow, forcing him to briefly exit the game.
But unlike a few weeks ago—when Porzingis playfully hyped up the crowd after an injury—this time, his grin was more out of frustration than showmanship. Though the blow required five stitches, it wasn’t enough to keep him off the court for long. He returned to help seal Boston’s Game 2 win, taking a 2-0 series lead.
“How could I not come back?” Porzingis said afterward. “Just because I needed a few stitches? My legs were fine, I felt good—of course I was going back out there. You know me—I love these moments. The crowd’s energy, the physicality of the game… none of that’s going to stop me.”
Porzingis delivered a stronger performance in Game 2, though he admitted it wasn’t flawless. He posted 20 points and 10 rebounds, showing more aggression in the post after struggling with Orlando’s physicality in Game 1. While his shooting was inconsistent (5-of-14 from the field, 0-of-5 from three), he made up for it by drawing fouls, going 10-of-14 from the free-throw line. Defensively, he made an early impact with two blocks and two steals, anchoring Boston’s rim protection.
With Jayson Tatum sidelined due to a wrist injury—marking his first-ever playoff absence—the Celtics will need Porzingis at his best as the postseason progresses. Tatum’s status remains uncertain, putting more responsibility on the rest of the team to step up.
“We’re not going to back down,” Porzingis said. “Teams will try to get under our skin, provoke us, maybe bait us into technicals. But we know how to handle it. This is an emotional game, but we’re not going to let anyone push us around. If they come at us, we’ll respond the right way.”
The Celtics will look to maintain their momentum as the series shifts to Orlando, with Porzingis ready to play through whatever comes next.
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