Kristaps Porzingis reveals why Celtics looked 'in the mirror' before road trip
01/04/2025 12:33 PM
The Boston Celtics didn’t have to do much soul-searching in 2024. They were the best team in the NBA all of last year and have the hardware to prove it. However, the Celtics hold themselves to a high standard, which means they’re always looking to improve, regardless of their record.
The Green Team went 8-6 in December and 2-3 in their final five contests of 2024. All things considered, that’s not much of a slump. Yet, center Kristaps Porzingis said it was enough to have his squad meet before the Celtics embarked on one of their toughest road trips of the 2024-25 regular season, per Noa Dalzell of SB Nation.
“We had a good meeting before this trip, a little bit like a looking-in-the-mirror type of meeting and see where we can improve and do better, because teams are obviously coming for us and some of them are playing their best basketball against us,” Porzingis revealed. “Some small adjustments we want to make and try to keep improving as a team and not keep playing the same way.”
Kristaps Porzingis said a lot clicked in the second half tonight:
"We had a good meeting before this trip, just looking-in-the-mirror type of meeting, see where we can improve and do better, because teams are obviously coming for us, and some of them are playing their best… pic.twitter.com/Qjhp8WdxW2
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) January 4, 2025
Whatever tweaks the C’s discussed in their meeting seem to have been implemented. Boston is 2-0 in 2025 after earning a tough win in Minneapolis over the Minnesota Timberwolves and dismantling the 22-12 Houston Rockets in Texas. Porzingis, who hadn’t played since a Christmas Day loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, was especially hopeful about the Celtics’ performance in H-Town on Friday night.
“I felt in the second half stuff was clicking for us,” he stated. “So far from the small sample size we have, we’re looking pretty good.”
Porzingis added 11 points, five rebounds, and two blocks en route to a 109-86 victory. The Celtics held the Rockets to just 30 points in the second half and only allowed one assist in those 24 minutes of play. Boston is now 13-3 on the road and 26-9 overall.
Kristaps Porzingis throws down the LOB pic.twitter.com/1S1cevJnIt
— Celtics Nation (@CelticsNationCP) January 4, 2025
Who’s up next for the Celtics?
There’s no time for the Celtics to celebrate, though. On Sunday afternoon, the C’s take on the red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder. Following a comeback win against the New York Knicks on Friday evening, the Thunder have won an incredible 14 games in a row, the longest active win streak in the league (and the longest streak in franchise history).
Boston hasn’t prevailed in OKC since March of 2022. That month was also the last time the Celtics defeated the Denver Nuggets on the road, who they’ll face just two days after clashing with the Thunder.
How Boston performs against two of the best teams in the Western Conference will be telling. But no matter the result, the Celtics will focus on where they can improve and attack any areas of weakness before heading back to Beantown.
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