The Boston Celtics were the overwhelming favorites to win the NBA Finals last season.
That was the case since the preseason, and that didn’t change for a single moment throughout the course of the entire campaign.
They already had a championship-caliber team, and adding Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis put them over the hump.
That was especially the case with Porzingis.
They didn’t need him to dominate, but having him out there made them almost unbeatable.
That’s why it was such a big deal when he was able to return from injury right in time for the NBA Finals.
And even though most people thought he’d be limited in his first game after five weeks on the shelf, the Latvian big man took the game by storm and dominated with 20 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in just 20 minutes.
Fast forward to today, and even Porzingis was a little shocked by that.
When asked about his performance in Game 1, he claimed that he felt like everything he had been through in his career up to that point prepared him for that moment (Via NBA & ClutchPoints).
“All the stuff I went through in my career, coming back from this and that, kind of prepared me for that moment… I was just fearless out there.”
Kristaps Porzingis on his massive Game 1 performance in the Finals 🗣️
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/pSvoWByfmn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 24, 2024
He was overwhelmed by confidence and played fearlessly out there.
Porzingis’ career had been a bit of a roller coaster from that point.
From being a top-draft pick to constantly getting hurt, all the trades and stuff said about him, and even getting to play against his former team.
There were just so many storylines.
Now, he’s an NBA champion, and the Celtics will continue to be the team to beat in the league for as long as they stay healthy.
NEXT:
Jayson Tatum Sends A Warning Message To The NBA