NBA Notebook: Celtics pushing Kristaps Porzingis to impact defense as much as offense

Joe Mazzulla didn't specifically mention defense often, publicly, during his first season as head coach and often deflected when asked about moments where the team lapsed on that end of the floor. He would refer to the team's second-ranked defensive rating and stretches of games where Boston rose to top defensive status across the league. Differences undeniably emerged compared to the 2022 unit that drove the team's finals run though, namely poor individual efforts in the switching scheme and the absence of Robert Williams III from the starting lineup for most of the year. The Celtics fell to 11th out of 16 playoff teams in defensive rating in the postseason, losing short of the Finals. 

After Game 3, Mazzulla acknowledged, along with several players, the team lost its defensive identity from the previous season and both emphasizes by core players, coaching hires and personnel additions aimed to restore that. Few saw Kristaps Porziņģis as a defensive rock and while his evolution on that end continues, he made an immediate statement in New York in his Celtics debut by protecting the rim and this week played more often in the role familiar to Williams III, roaming away from the ball as a help defender. Everyone around Boston's team, asked to reflect on his impact so far -- referenced defense before the Celtics rose to No. 2 in defensive rating with their suffocating win over the Jazz on Friday. 

"People get caught up in whatever a guy is from the time he's 19-22 and they keep that as his bio forever," Stevens said. "You've gotta watch how people improve and get better and you can see that in his time over Washington. I think he's even improved and taken a step this year, and I think he can still get a lot better. We're asking him to do a lot of things, specifically on the defensive end, that he's not used to. His continued growth and ascension is going to be important for our team, but he's been great. Obviously, the way that he puts you in binds as a defense is pretty special, pretty unique."

Mazzulla vowed to address defense more directly with the team, admitting he entered the head coaching role seeing defensive intensity as mandatory and didn't expect to have to talk about it with the team. He also saw the team's defensive system grow stale at times, giving offensive players the same look too often and not having enough time last training camp to develop curveballs. Especially following the Jrue Holiday addition, he empowered the veteran guard to assess and decide when Boston could break into zone, press and other defensive wrinkles to keep offenses on edge. That and the Celtics' ability to change where their defensive personnel plays stood out most to Jazz head coach and former Boston assistant Will Hardy on Friday. 

Hardy also reflected on the staff, including Ime Udoka, Mazzulla and other veteran coaches who took over the Celtics staff in 2022, designing an elite defense that season and noted that they didn't start from scratch. While Stevens mostly hired new coaches following his departure from the role to become president, holdovers like Mazzulla and Tony Dobbins, along with the array of personnel headlined by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford had already played for years in Stevens' successful defensive structure. Udoka ramped up the team's switching, ball pressure and added the Williams III roaming role to take the unit to the next level, but many of the principles and emphasizes remained the same and still do into Mazzulla's tenure. 

"That's exactly how it went, the team had a system when Brad was here and it was a rules-based system," Mazzulla said. "There was an answer for everything. You guarded everything the exact same way. Very fortunate that we were able to see that system, and then when Will and Ime were here, it was a little bit more switching, but we got really good at switching because we had the defensive principles that the team had when they were under Brad, and then we were able to do some different things that if you don't have principles and technique, you're not able to pull off. So then I think because of that foundation, we were able to recreate with our switching and whatnot, and then like I said, fortunate to be able to have both of those systems to be able to do some stuff differently and I still think we can grow and get better defensively, to try and force more turnovers, to try to be better, whether it's a little bit more unique, we played a little bit of zone (vs. Utah) and then continuing to grow." 

Porziņģis fit into both of those concepts, and Mazzulla asserted early that the big man wouldn't simply sit back in a deep drop, though that became his primary responsibility through much of the team's start. He also played up to guard Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell's actions around screens late in a win over the Cavaliers last month. He played up to half court in a press look at one point. Then, he began switching more often and while his greatest impact came on the offensive end to begin this season, Mazzulla continues to stress that can be the best defense. Whether it's his pace and run-stopping buckets inside or the way he forces teams to hold him off the offensive glass, one of Mazzulla's top philosophies as head coach involves setting the table offensively in a way that allows the defense to get set the other way on the following possession. It's a significant reason they shoot so many threes, seeing missed layups often turn into buckets for opponents in the other direction. 

This season, Porziņģis is averaging 1.8 blocks per game, his highest total since 2020, 0.8 steals, a career-high +1.7 defensive box plus-minus and he has held opponents to 44.6% shooting when matched up with him. He ranks tied for eighth with 11.1 shots contested per game, challenging a similar number as recent defensive player of the year candidates Anthony Davis (12.5) and Evan Mobley (11.8). Porziņģis, like Horford, has contested over 3.0 three-pointers per game while accumulating the 16th-most contests per game on twos as well. That reflects the range of impact the Celtics expect from him.

"I think you're starting to see what our identity looks like on both sides of the ball," Mazzulla told Boston Sports Journal. "When you take a look at the OKC game, changing up his matchup a couple of times, just getting used to our defensive system guarding different guys, whether it's a (Josh) Giddey, whether it's a (Chet) Holmgren, whether it's somebody else. We've built an identity of our bigs being able to do that over time and he brings his own defensive versatility, so I think it's just continuing to get comfortable in growing his versatility and making our defense better ... he's been great, he's been open-minded to mirroring our system, but then we gotta do what also helps him on both sides of the ball." 

Porziņģis noted Boston's personnel as the biggest difference compared to other defenses he's played in, allowing perimeter defenders like Holiday, Tatum (who improved to 0.61 PPP allowed in isolation) and double-big combinations with Horford to allow him to focus on protecting the rim. He also acknowledged that can leave him playing too passive and whenever he makes a read to position himself more aggressively, the Celtics allow him the freedom to play higher. 

Playing higher and more engaged, Porziņģis said, allows him to play more engaged on the defensive end while his range allows him to recover in the pick-and-roll, a technique he used routinely during his standout defensive season with the Wizards that Boston watched where many fans didn't. Horford missed that part of his game too, given Porziņģis transitioning west to Dallas, missing time with injury then not playing on as high of a profile team in Washington. He became excited when the Celtics acquired him, knowing his array of offensive skills, but Porziņģis' level of defensive impact admittedly caught Boston's former starting center off-guard. 

"I don't remember him being, maybe he was and I just didn't recall it, but here I feel like he's really, defensively, trying to protect the rim for us," Horford said. "And understands that he has to be really good defensively for us to be a great team." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Atlanta (14-20): Open for business, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, with top players aside from Trae Young, including Dejounte Murray, De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela available for trades. After dealing John Collins last summer late for little return, it makes sense to get ahead on shaking up a packed roster in what's potentially becoming a transition season. They had won two straight scoring 130 points or more after dropping four straight before allowing 150 points to Indiana on Friday in an all too familiar defensive meltdown. 

Boston (27-7): Brad Stevens said the Celtics will look to add a wing to its rotation, whether they see one emerge internally, sign one in free agency or make a trade. He stressed Boston is limited to the Grant Williams trade exception ($6.2M) in terms of the money it can bring in without giving up major rotation players, while emphasizing that the Celtics don't want to take away from the team dynamic they built while adding talent. Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk, Lamar Stevens and Dalano Banton are likely to survive their guarantee dates on Jan. 10, according to Jake Fischer, and Boston will likely leave its 15th roster spot open through the deadline for flexibility's sake despite Neemias Queta's growing case to join the roster on a standard contract. Defeated the Jazz on Friday to improve to 17-0 at home, matching the franchise record for the best start in their building. They almost overcame an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter at Oklahoma City and blasted the Spurs on New Year's Eve, scoring over 120 points in their last nine games. 

Brooklyn (16-20): Will not trade Mikal Bridges before the deadline, according to Woj, despite remaining without a strong franchise direction since the Kevin Durant trade made Bridges the new franchise cornerstone last year. Brooklyn became the first team fined under the new player participation policy, taking a $100,000 hit for sitting Nic Claxton, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson against the Bucks last week. 

Chicago (16-21): Zach LaVine returned to the lineup after missing 17 games (foot) and scored 15 points in 30 minutes alongside Nikola Vucevic off the bench, who came back from a five-game adductor injury. Life with LaVine became inevitable after interest waned among trade suitors given his injury and rough individual start by LaVine, and a bump following his exit from the lineup. The Bulls beat the Hornets to mark their sixth win over their last 10 games, but Patrick Williams suffered a second half ankle injury and exited the game. The trade market for LaVine, according to Fischer, remains quiet for now. 

Cleveland (20-15): Point guard Ricky Rubio agreed to a buyout and announced his retirement from the NBA to continue addressing his mental health, which forced him to step away from the Cavaliers in August. Rubio declined to share details about his process in his announcement, but said he hopes to do so one day to provide inspiration for anyone else facing that challenge. Rubio, the No. 5 pick in the 2009 draft from Spain, starred as a stellar passer for the Wolves, Jazz and Suns before landing in Cleveland in 2021. He began his career in the top Spanish league at 14 and will step away at 33 with 7.4 career APG. 

Denver (25-12): Lost to the Magic on Friday in what's become a somewhat sleepy quarter-season start following their championship run. A second half comeback on Thursday capped by Nikola Jokic's half court heave for the win at the buzzer, flinging the ball over his head and off the glass, reminded everyone how dangerously different this team remains. Jokic posted 34 points and 10 assists in the win, overcoming an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit. 

Detroit (3-32): Ended what's now tied for the longest losing streak in NBA history (28) by catching the Raptors last weekend in their second half of a back-to-back following Toronto's loss to Boston. Detroit went on to lose three straight on the road, and despite their unprecedented skid to begin the season, Fischer reported that they'll try to buy at the deadline and emerged as one of the three strongest Pascal Siakam suitors to begin this month. 

Golden State (17-18): Narrowly avoided a loss to the Pistons at home after squandering a massive fourth-quarter lead to the Nuggets. During a weekend that should've provided some hope, Draymond Green returning to the practice facility to ramp-up following his suspension/leave, Chris Paul fractured his hand in Friday's win and will undergo surgery. Gary Payton II quickly fell with a hamstring injury upon his return from his previous ailment and Jonathan Kuminga shockingly complained to The Athletic, expressing he's lost all faith in head coach Steve Kerr overseeing his development. Moses Moody soon shared a similar sentiment. The Warriors always hoped their core champions could hold this group together, but this already looks like the end of an era. 

Indiana (20-14): Host a Celtics team that they throttled in the In-Season Tournament for back-to-back games on Saturday and Monday before wrapping what became a five-game season series later this month in Boston. Tyrese Haliburton continues to produce unprecedented amounts of offense for the most efficient unit ever, posting 18 assists in a 150-116 thumping of Atlanta on Friday. Haliburton, averaging 24.9 PPG and 12.7 APG on 50.1% shooting, posted 14.0 APG over Indiana's last 10 games that included double-digit wins over the Knicks and Bucks. They've now beaten Milwaukee four times. Fischer reported that the Pacers will continue exploring upgrades at the four after falling just short of acquiring OG Anunoby, including Pascal Siakam. 

Clippers (22-12): Rose into home-court status at fourth in the west following emphatic wins over the Heat, Suns and Pelicans. They've won 13-of-15 and haven't lost with Kawhi Leonard in the lineup since Nov. 30, with James Harden averaging 19.8 PPG and 9.7 APG over that stretch. They started poorly after pulling off the trade and rank third in offense. Their defense has room for improvement but it's difficult to rule them out of a deep playoff run if healthy.

“Fit is great, I knew that from the beginning and it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be a part of this,” Harden said. “Obviously it didn’t start off well. It gave people so much to talk about in a negative way, and now those people that were talking are nowhere to be found. Like, literally nowhere to be found. Which, we knew that was going to happen.”

Lakers (17-19): The Athletic reported frustration across multiple sources with Darvin Ham's coaching as the team fell to 3-10 since their In-Season Tournament title. LeBron James said the Lakers suck right now after they lost to the Grizzlies on Friday and the team's meeting with the hot Clippers on Sunday is reportedly a critical one for Ham, whose rotations and adjustments haven't pleased some members of the team. With D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachmura and Gabe Vincent both banged up and struggling recently, LA relied on a mix of Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt in different combinations alongside James and Anthony Davis, who continues his tear averaging 30.0 PPG, 12.1 RPG and 2.5 BPG recently.

“It’s a little bit of everything right now,” Davis said. “We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight. So it’s a bit of everything right now. If we keep on this trend, it’s not going to be good for us. So it’s kind of obvious that we have to figure it out sooner than later." 

Memphis (12-23): Marcus Smart shot 8-of-14 from three and scored 29 points in the high point of his Grizzlies career so far as Memphis toppled the Lakers and continue their fight to stay in the playoff race. The team has lost 4-of-6 since Ja Morant led a 4-0 burst in his return, overall ranking 26th in offense and 13th in defense over that stretch. Taylor Jenkins, in a rare fiery moment, stormed the court and drew a technical after LeBron James seemingly fouled Jaren Jackson Jr. on the floor. 

Milwaukee (25-10): Giannis Antetokounmpo had an interesting reaction to another loss to the Pacers before dropping 44 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists on the Spurs in a memorable first battle against Victor Wembanyama. Giannis and Victor traded dunks, blocks and smooth dribble moves in the lane down the stretch, including back-to-back game-saving stuffs by Wembanyama, with one coming above the rim on Antetokounmpo. The Bucks escaped and won their seventh game over their last 10, remaining 2.5 games behind the Celtics. Khris MIddleton sat the second half of the win, which Adrian Griffin said wasn't injury-related. They play in Milwaukee on Thursday in a back-to-back for Boston. 

New York (20-15): OG Anunoby made an instant impact, scoring 17 points and building a 22-point lead on the West-best Timberwolves in his New Year's Day debut after trailing by 11 early. Anunoby fouled out late, but went on to help beat Bulls and 76ers teams that have played well recently. Donte DiVincenzo is thriving as a spot starter while Isaiah Hartenstein posted 10 points and 20 rebounds against Chicago in continued strong play in place of Mitchell Robinson. New York's decision to aggressively acquire Anunoby on an expiring contract either signaled a desire to contend more seriously this season, or set up another power play in the east this summer. They've played the Celtics as well as anyone in the east over the last year, so keep an eye on them. 

Oklahoma City (23-11): The Thunder went on to drop bad games to the Hawks and Nets on the road after, and nearly squandered an 18-point line if not for Kristaps Porzingis' foot landing on the line on a shot that could've gotten the Thunder's lead down to one late, but Oklahoma City knocked off Boston in a game that turned heads around the league. The Thunder remain in home-court position in the west over one quarter of the way through the season with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing MVP-level basketball and Chet Holmgren pacing the rookie of the year discussion. Many imagined an improbable Celtics-Thunder Finals after the game, and while Sam Presti shied away from embracing major upgrades before the season, one good add could propel them far. 

Orlando (20-15): Will retire Shaquille O'Neal's jersey in a franchise first, putting away bad feelings that followed his 1996 departure to the Lakers. O'Neal led Orlando to one of its two Finals appearances in 1995, losing to the Rockets in four games. Paolo Banchero and the 2024 Magic beat the Nuggets this week with his first career triple-double. They remain tied for fifth in the east with Miami and New York.

Sacramento (21-13): Appeared on the doorstep of a blockbuster trade to land Raptors star Pascal Siakam on Friday before pulling out of discussions, according to Shams Charania. The Kings emerged among the top suitors, alongside Indiana and Detroit, to trade for the former champion after the Raptors decided to make him available in the aftermath of their OG Anunoby trade. Charania noted Siakam talks between Sacramento and Toronto are now over, as the Kings reportedly could utilize Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell as trade pieces to upgrade before the deadline. 

San Antonio (5-29): Victor Wembanyama check-in -- 19.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.8 APG and 3.2 BPG on 44.9% shooting. He dunked from near the free throw line in transition as Derrick White tried to chase him down last Saturday, dribbled behind his back into a slam in one motion against the Bucks before blocking Giannis Antetokounmpo above the rim. He remains must-watch basketball nightly even if the Spurs around him don't. 

Toronto (14-21): Run the risk of losing Pascal Siakam for nothing as they did Fred VanVleet if teams like the Pacers and Pistons feel comfortable waiting until free agency to pursue him rather than meeting a steep Raptors asking price now. Toronto settled on RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and one second-rounder for OG Anunoby last week, and it's hard to imagine Siakam drawing much more from a limited field of suitors. Barrett and Quickley won their first two games for the Raptors, closing narrow victories late over the Cavaliers and Grizzlies.