NBA TODAY | Brian Windhorst expects to Kristaps Porzingis in NBA Finals: KEY to Celtics win it all

NBA TODAY | Brian Windhorst expects to Kristaps Porzingis in NBA Finals: KEY to Celtics win it all

so the Boston Celtics have been without Chris staps poringa since his CF trrain over a month ago and the NBA Finals will tip off in one week with or without him but pingis he recently posted on social media quote I’ll be back in line soon see you in the finals here’s head coach Joe Missoula who spoke this morning he’s got very each day I know he’s working hard so um I’ll get more when I go downstairs when he comes in today but um you know he’s progressing well and he’s working really hard to get back now Drea I make it my mission to remind perk every day that Chris St porzingis was a key part of the Celtics regular season success ranking third in scoring second in rebounding and first in blocks per game on the team now game one of the finals is next Thursday and let’s be real we do not expect the Celtics to tip their hand on porzingis too early but it has been five weeks since he’s played in the game so Brian if porzingis can go in game one of the NBA Finals what’s fair for us to expect from him yeah this is uh you know it’s not unprecedented but we haven’t seen this in a really long time the last time we saw a starter quality player Miss multiple rounds of the the playoffs and then come back for the finals was jir Nelson from the magic all the way back in 2009 so you’re asking him to do something that is not common but I will say his role is potentially extremely important if you don’t believe that the Wolves will pull off the historic comeback and it will indeed be the Mavericks to get one more win here having porzingis out there there to pull those athletic Mavericks bigs away from the basket is really the central reason why the Celtics went out and traded for him last summer those guys Derrick Lively and Daniel Gafford like to stay in there on defense to protect the rim and we know how valuable they are uh with those lobs well porzingis is 7 foot3 he’s built to defend lobs and he’s built as a great shooter to pull those other guys away from the rim he’s pretty much the perfect player to play against the Mavericks big men and so that’s why having him back and be effective is vital but to be honest with you Chan even if he’s back and isn’t effective just having him out on the court will make a difference for the Celtics honestly that’s the point that I was thinking like I promise whoever they end up facing in the finals if kristofh porzingis is on the floor they’re going to treat Kristof like the shooter that he is they’re not going to Sag off and be like okay let’s let’s see if he hits shots because it’s been five weeks they’re going to to defend him like the player that he’s been all season and I’m also just thinking what a gift the Celtics gave themselves by finishing that Pacers series early right I know I know there were injuries in D I know Tyrese halberton couldn’t play and I understand that but for the Celtics to now give themselves all of this time for kristofh porzingis to get in live action I know it’s not the same as a game it’s going to be hard for him to hop right into the game but they have all this time to prepare for potentially either opponent that they’re going to face to prepare their schemes to get him out there on the floor that is a gift and everyone for the Celtics is playing so well Jaylen Brown’s playing well Jason Tatum’s playing well D everybody’s playing well everyone in their specific ific role is doing exactly what they need to do so Chris just has to come in and he doesn’t have to do too much all he has to do take up space on the court play well be healthy they’re going to defend him the same way they’ve seen him play defend be defended all season and most importantly they’re chilling at home like this is the best of it all they’re resting and they’re doing it at home thank you so much Brian we’ll bring you back in a moment but I’ve got my girl Andrea here with Minnesota the Timberwolves keeping their playoff hopes alive game four in Dallas Anthony Edwards Leading The Way with 29 Points nearly getting a triple double while car Anthony towns had his best game against the Mavs the series returns to Minnesota for game five and the wolves have to be better on their home court they’ve lost four of their last five home playoff games they haven’t lost three straight home games at any point this season and with their backs against the wall the Timberwolves have responded they are 3-0 in facing elimination this postseason best of any team they have to make that 6 and0 to make it to their first Finals in franchise history NBA reporter Dave MCM is covering the Timberwolves and joins us now live Dave you were shoot around this morning what the team tell you about how they’re feeling heading into game five yeah Jay we spoke to Rudy goar the fourth time Defensive Player of the Year and I asked him it seems like the mood is light around this team what allows you to have that mentality going into another elimination scenario and goar said we just trust in one another he told me that the work hasn’t started for this team now with our backs against the wall it started two years ago when we came together as a team and we found an identity and now we know so long as we go out and show that identity we’ll be in a good spot Mike connley said the other night after they made it a 3-1 series after game four that he feels confident because he knows they haven’t played their best basketball yet and that gives him a sense of Solace because once they do start playing well they can turn things around goar said this easily could be a flipped around series with the Wolves being up 3-1 so long as they go out and start playing the way they know they’re capable of they can start chipping away and try to make it 3-2 Dave what the Wolves find in game four that they might want to replicate tonight yeah well we got to talk about two guys uh cat Carl Anthony towns and Kyle Anderson and KL anthon Town certainly got things going particularly in the second half 20 of his 25 points after the break but the key was he started inside and then worked his way outside he hit all of his four threes in the second half and listen Naas Reed has been playing with cat for several years now and he said I knew Carl would be fine so long as he just kept doing what he does and I think that confidence that cat displayed was you kind of echoed by his teammates they never went away from him they knew that they had to keep giving him touches and hope that he can show what he really can do on this stage and KY Anderson he got it done you look at the box score two points four assists four rebounds three steals not your typical uh type of Superstar box score line but Nas Reed said he does everything for us he’s a0 five for us at times he was guarding the opposing big men for the Mavs and he said well that just shows his jersey toughness you have uh NZ Reed from New Jersey and so is Kyle Anderson from Jersey City Wolves four and a half Point favor tonight Minnesota right now Dave McAn with the latest Dave thank you so much let’s go over to Amina all right we got basketball analyst Andrea Carter she joins us right now in Carl Anthony towns he woke up in game four he found his three-point shot made some plays in the paint as well what are you going to need to see from Carl Anthony towns in order for the Timberwolves to force a game six well first off let me say hey Amina girl so nice to talk to you for the first time on Sports Center the biggest thing when I think about cat hey Jay you you too I I hear you over there the the biggest thing you know for Carl Anthony towns I think what Dave said was perfect the confidence his teammates trust him my biggest thing is it’s twofold aggression on the offensive end yes attack the paint hunt the rim start aggressive but then discipline on the defensive end as well those two things go hand in hand if I’m on the Dallas Maverick side I’m challenging Carl Anthony towns defensively trying to see if he could get in early foul trouble so for Carl Anthony towns playing disciplined defense because if if you think about it as a player if you pick up an early foul now it’s in your head a little bit and you can’t be as aggressive on the offensive end so that defensive discipline the offensive aggression confidence efficiency those two things for Carl Anthony towns will help him be that Robin to the Batman and that sidekick that next player next to Anthony Edwards they need Carl Anthony Towns at his best no you mentioned Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards he expressed that confidence by promising Cowboys linebacker Micah Parson’s a new pair of signature shoes when min would force a game six how confident are you are you as confident as Anthony Edwards in terms of you know this Minnesota team forcing a game six or where do you stand is anybody as confident as Anthony Edwards in anything he might be one of the most confident people walking the planet and I love it he should have the utmost confidence in himself and in his team and I do think this series continuing is highly likely think about what the Timberwolves were able to do in game six it was a must-win game against the Denver they came out on their home court and they put on a show I do not think the margin of Victory is going to be as dramatic as it was in that game but I do see the Timberwolves coming out with confidence coming out aggressive on both ends of the floor and extending this series we’ve seen them do it before I have confidence that this team can do it again now it’s tough because you’ve got Luca and Kyrie again two of the best closers in the game on the other side Derek Lively might be back like don’t be surprised if the Mavericks ruin the party but I I Got Confidence for e acquiring Target watch an enemy has been defeated I you not I’ll you have been defeated an enemy has been defeated I always find an ally has been defeated it’s all skill you have been defeated you want to go this way enemy ultimate your tower has been destroyed an ally has been defeated back you have defeated an enemy let me take the e

NBA TODAY | Brian Windhorst expect to Kristaps Porzingis back in NBA Finals: The KEY to Celtics win it all