Kristaps Porziņģis once aimed to shoot shorter 3s, but the longer ones can't be touched

NEW YORK A bit of good fortune set up the longest of Kristaps Porzingis many long 3-pointers Tuesday night.

After Mikal Bridges knocked the basketball out of Jayson Tatums hands, it rolled straight toward Porzingis standing across the court.

By the time the 7-foot-3 center bent over to pick up the loose ball, he was standing on the K in the Knicks logo, not long from half court.

He had seven seconds left on the shot clock to look for a better shot, but didnt feel compelled to do that.

Advertisement The ball rolled to me and I was like, This is destiny, Porzingis said.

Just picked it up and just let it fly, honestly, without thinking too much.

Porzingis smiled after the 40-footer fell through the hoop as if marveling at his shooting range.

Though he always likes to spot up well beyond the arc, he showed off even more than usual during Bostons 119-117 overtime win against New York.

While tying a career high with eight made 3-pointers, Porzingis drained four 3s from at least 27 feet away from the rim, including two from at least 30 feet away.

Those are the best kind of nights, Porzingis said.

Just playing free and letting it fly, and shots are going in.

KP ARE YOU FOR REAL pic.twitter.com/7itKuVmLEb Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2025 The Celtics have some concerns entering the playoffs, including the banged-up knee that continues to limit Jaylen Brown.

But after they won a championship last season, Porzingis stands as the largest reason to hope that they could be even better during the coming playoff run.

He missed 12 of Bostons 19 playoff games last season, including three of their five games in the NBA Finals.

Based on his track record of injuries, he remains a giant question mark heading into the postseason.

But what if Porzingis stays healthy? What if he dominates inside and out, like he is fully capable of doing? What if the big man delivers consistently like he did against New York? KP was unbelievable, said Derrick White.

He missed a couple early and then just kept shooting from further and further away.

Having a guy like that that skilled really whatever you do (to defend him) is wrong.

He was big-time for us today.

After a Tatum stepback 3 with 2.9 seconds left forced overtime, the Celtics and Knicks were tied again with less than a minute left in the extra session.

With less than 10 seconds left on the shot clock, White and Porzingis set up for a pick-and-roll.

When White spun to reject the screen, Porzingis popped to several feet behind the arc.

Thirty feet away from the basket, he drilled his final 3-pointer of the night to put the Celtics in the lead for good.

Advertisement They were not trying to switch throughout the game, Porzingis said.

They were doing a late switch.

It just created a little bit of separation from (Jalen) Brunson.

It was a pretty deep one.

Just let it fly without conscience.

How many players are so potent in the post but can also space the court beyond 30 feet? At his best, like White suggested, Porzingis causes headaches against any type of defensive strategy.

If a team switches, he can head straight into the low post, where hes one of the leagues most efficient scorers.

If a team guards screens any other way, he can spot up well behind the arc.

The center entered Tuesday with an average 3-point attempt distance of 27.56 feet, which would be the longest average of his career and one of the longest averages in the NBA this season.

Why does Porzingis like to shoot from so far away? Im just comfortable shooting a little bit out, he said.

It also helps our offense, just stretching the defense out even more.

If my efficiency doesnt change, I just take those deeper ones.

Its maybe a little bit more comfort, just knowing the guys are not going to be able to get there at all for a decent contest and just taking my time and letting it fly.

The game-winning shot over Brunsons head highlighted some of the problems Porzingis poses.

Brunson closed out pretty well, but the shot contest didnt bother Porzingis at all.

With a 13-inch height advantage in the matchup, he was still able to take his normal shot.

Where Porzingis usually spots up, several feet behind the arc, only forces defenders to cover more ground to guard him.

If they are too eager to do that, they might just leave a driving lane open for one of his teammates.

And when they are too late to him, he is punishing such mistakes like never before.

Now at 41.6 percent on 3-point attempts, he is on pace to break the 40-percent mark for the first time in his career.

Though Porzingis has long been considered a great shooter for his size heck, he was the original unicorn his career 3-point percentage (36.5 percent) reveals he has been inconsistent from behind the arc.

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Interestingly enough, Porzingis said he considered taking shorter 3-pointers around the time he first arrived in Boston.

His friend and trainer, Zanis Peiners, urged Porzingis to shoot from closer to the arc.

The hope was that, by doing so, he would increase his 3-point percentage.

We were looking at it and he wanted me to shoot closer and I did that throughout the summer, Porzingis said.

But then as the season started again, I kind of reverted back to my old habits and just started shooting further out.

I did shoot a little bit closer, but then we checked and the efficiency was the same, so we just agreed that Ill just do me and shoot them wherever I feel comfortable.

According to Porzingis, the numbers show he fares just as well on the deeper attempts.

It wasnt a fluke what he did against the Knicks, his former team, but even by his standards, it was a show.

He helped the Celtics stay close during a slow start.

He helped them overcome some ineffective first-half post defense against Karl Towns.

Porzingis helped the Celtics edge out a win on a night that Brown, dealing with a persistent knee issue, missed the entire fourth quarter and overtime.

Brown finished with just 21 minutes played, a lighter load than he has been carrying recently, even while on a minutes restriction.

We just got what we needed to get out of him as he continues to push himself and test himself, said Joe Mazzulla, perhaps hinting that the shorter minutes were planned on the front leg of a back-to-back.

Weve still got games left, so we got what we needed to get, what we needed to see, and we just continue to move forward.

With just three games left in the regular season, Porzingis suggested Brown should consider taking time off before the playoffs.

He has preached that he wants to continue playing through the pain because he believes he benefits from that.

He also might be motivated by the 65-game minimum for NBA awards, though he has denied that he cares about the threshold.

Hes a tough dude, said Porzingis.

He always preaches his warrior mindset, and he lives by it, but to what extent do we need that right now? Maybe he needs to take care of it and make sure hes going to be ready for the most important moments.

So I think we just have to urge him to make sure he does everything he needs to prepare, to get it healthy and to prepare for whats going to come.

And I think hes a smart guy.

So he will.

It just shows his heart and how bad he wants to be out there, even for games that dont mean super much for us right now.

But thats who he is and I appreciate him for that.

These games dont mean much for the Celtics, who are officially locked into the second seed in the Eastern Conference after Clevelands win Tuesday.

Still, with a victory Wednesday in Orlando, Boston would tie the 2015-16 Warriors record for road wins in a single season (34).

As impressive as that would be, Payton Pritchard said the record is not something the Celtics have addressed as a team.

Advertisement We havent talked about it at all, said Pritchard.

Were not motivated by it at all because at the end of the day, you could have that and not win the championship, and nobody would even remember.

So for us its just playing the right way and trying to get a W.

Only one goal matters to the Celtics.

The regular season ends this weekend, and the playoffs are coming soon.

Theres no promise Porzingis will be available throughout the entire Boston run, but what if he is? Im feeling decent, Porzingis said.

Im still a little bit up and down since Ive recovered from (a recent illness), so my energys not perfect, and everybody knows.

But Im playing through it, and I think if I get a few days off, well be perfect.

Well be perfect.

Just rejuvenate the body, and yeah, Ill be ready to go.

(Top photo: John Jones /Imagn Images).

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