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[Saba Sports News] Kristaps Porzingis made his much-anticipated return from injury in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks.
As he made his way to the court, Celtics fans erupted in cheers. Reflecting on the reception before Game 2, Porzingis said, “It was insane. I’m not going to lie. Just walking in the tunnel, it felt like a WWE-style walk-in. I didn’t even know it was for me at first. Then walking out, hearing the crowd roar, it was really exciting to start the game and give everything to these fans who came to support.”
Here is the clip of fans cheering for Porzingis as he walks through the tunnel. It certainly resembled a WWE entrance. Porzingis did not disappoint the Celtics fans, contributing 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 21 minutes off the bench. He scored 11 points in the first quarter alone, helping the Celtics to a 37-20 lead by the end of the period. The lead grew to 29 at one point, and despite a Mavericks comeback in the third quarter, the Celtics maintained their advantage to win 107-89.
Throughout the playoffs, there was much discussion about the Celtics benefiting from their opponents’ injuries. Jimmy Butler missed the entire first round for the Miami Heat, while Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton missed several games in the second round and Conference Finals, respectively.
However, it was often overlooked that Porzingis was also out with an injury. Though not on the same level as those stars, Porzingis showed in Game 1 how impactful he can be when healthy. The Celtics are hopeful that he continues this level of play for the remainder of the series.