NEW YORK — While the Celtics have needed to adapt game-to-game when it comes to Kristaps Porzingis’ illness and availability, they do have a solid insurance option on their bench: Luke Kornet. The reserve big man put together a stellar season for the Celtics, improving his all-around game and becoming a reliable piece of the roster.
The C’s saw their rotation shrink even further due to Sam Hauser’s ankle injury that’s kept him out the past two games. So that puts even more of an emphasis on Kornet, who continues to be a dependable force when he is in the game. That’s all thanks to improvements over the course of his career, which included an unorthodox path. The Celtics need all they can get as they look to rally from their 2-1 series deficit to the Knicks.
“It’s really just sort of hard to point at any individual thing,” Kornet said. “I think just the experience and comfort of just understanding the game better and understanding what really makes a difference for us and our team in particular on both sides of the ball. And just what I can kind of bring to that.”
Kornet has played in all eight games of the playoffs thus far, and while his stats don’t pop off the page, it’s clear what he brings to the court. His rebounding and defense are huge parts of the equation, plus his chemistry with Jayson Tatum as a roll guy makes life easier for the C’s star.
At this point last season, Kornet wasn’t a mainstay in the playoff rotation. He played sparingly, and while he played every game of the Cavaliers series, that wasn’t the case for the rest of the playoffs. But it’s different this year as the C’s lean on him for productive minutes.
Kornet’s the latest Celtic to develop their way to their current form. Hauser was an undrafted free agent. Payton Pritchard’s breakout season not only includes a Sixth Man of the Year award, but he’s now a clear difference-maker in the playoffs. Like Kornet, Pritchard’s taken a similar leap when it comes to playoff production.
So while the starters rightfully get lauded for their talent, the Celtics’ whole roster is why they’re once again title contenders. The C’s are still down 2-1 in the series to the Knicks, though their blowout Game 3 win looked more like themselves as they rained down 3-pointers. And as long as the Celtics could be shorthanded, Kornet will be vital whenever his number is called upon.
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“When we look at ourselves after the first two, I was honestly feeling really good about our intensity and effort and intentionality and stuff like that,” Kornet said. “Just knowing that we kind of felt like we left those out. At a certain point, as is the case, you just realize with the playoffs, the only thing you can do is sort of the next game.”
