Celtics Adjust to Porzingis Scratch with More Jayson Tatum in Win

NEW YORK — Kristaps Porziņģis became a last-second scratch for the Celtics in his return to New York with an illness on Friday. With Jrue Holiday out for a second straight night and Al Horford already starting, it thrust the Celtics into an uncertain lineup territory. Neemias Queta only played five games of significant minutes since the new year, Sam Hauser continued to enter games late in the first quarter while receiving treatment on his back before and after games, and new arrival Torrey Craig (ankle) wasn’t ready to play.

Luke Kornet’s stellar contributions since Jan. 1 helped, and he slid comfortably into the starting unit in place of Porziņģis with two blocks while the Celtics held the Knicks to an 0-for-10 start with four rejections as a team. He scored 14 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks after Payton Pritchard found him in layup lines to tell him the news. Boston built a double-digit lead on Saturday and mostly maintained it through their seamless rotations that allowed Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to find their rhythm, Pritchard to play a game reminiscent of his early season contributions while Queta and Kornet expanded on an intriguing partnership. The Celtics won, 131-104.

“He was sick, wasn’t feeling well, tried to play, but he just couldn’t do it,” Joe Mazzulla said. “When that happens, it just gives guys an opportunity to step up. That’s the great thing about the locker room is guys are always ready. Luke ready to start, Neemy, X, everybody … to me, it’s more about having different ways that you can play. The season presents opportunities for that and we need to be able to be flexible to win the matchup at that particular time, and I thought tonight, that just won the matchup for us. New York is one of the most physical teams in the league … we were able to counteract that a little bit … defensively, they were really well-connected, all of our bigs.”

Craig joined the team in New York following a physical and tour of the Auerbach Center earlier this week. He hopes to return from an ankle injury he suffered one month ago soon, and while Mazzulla didn’t provide a timeline nor did he expect Holiday to miss much time, neither’s absence greatly impacted the Celtics against a Knicks team without OG Anunoby (foot) and a limited Karl-Anthony Towns. A Boston team that has hope for great lineup flexibility with the Craig addition leaned into a double-big look it used often with multiple players out this season. On Friday, it overwhelmed a New York team built to compete with the Celtics that’s struggled to do so. Tatum, now 15-for-25 from three against them this season, helped as well with 40 points.

An early Tatum three, Kornet offensive rebound and pair of Brown twos powered a 12-2 Celtics start before New York made a basket. Kornet dunked out of timeout while Tatum and Derrick White added additional threes through a scorching Celtics start — finishing the first half 47.4% from three. Their lead mounted to 26-9 after Mazzulla’s challenge drew an approximate foul on Josh Hart, hitting Horford’s arm while the ball went out of bounds. That drew two free throws before Queta put back Pritchard’s miss.

Pritchard began the second quarter with four straight jump shots to put Boston ahead by 17, Tatum and Pritchard torching the Knicks before Brown returned with a mid-ranger and sharp pass to a cutting Kornet. The lead reached 18 when the Knicks turned it over again after Brunson stripped Brown, giving Pritchard a free run to the rim. Meanwhile, Queta and Kornet, a duo that played only four games and 17 minutes together, built on an intriguing +17.1 net rating with an 128 offensive rating coming into the game. The Celtics went on a 20-14 run when they joined forces in the second, stabilizing the game while Jalen Brunson dug the Knicks back into the game with 12 early free throw attempts.

“It’s not challenging,” Pritchard said of the new-look lineups. “I thought Jayson did an unbelievable job tonight … he didn’t rush his shots, he got to his spots and he was money. He broke the lead open for us. That’s what a superstar does.”

Queta, despite becoming a target for New York, carved out three points on the offensive glass and blocked Hart before a foul call on White guarding Brunson sent Mazzulla into a frenzy and kept the Knicks within 13 into halftime. The officials made up for it midway through the third after Kornet picked up his fourth foul and the Knicks pulled within three behind eight Brunson points and a bounce pass threaded through Boston’s back line to Hart.

Mikal Bridges pressed into Tatum, who threw a grenade to White late in the shot clock, but White patiently worked to the top of the key and drew a three-point foul on Miles McBride. The crowd quieted, Tom Thibodeau threw his hands up and the Celtics regained an eight-point cushion.

“I was just trying to make a play, get a good look,” White said. “I bobbled it a little bit, that’s probably why I got fouled.”

Tatum followed with one of his great heaters, Brown an early substitution off the floor after a pair of sloppy turnovers earlier in the frame. Tatum unloaded 24 points playing the entirety of the third into the fourth quarter, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and converting seven straight free throws. He played the entire fourth quarter, allowed to build and maintain momentum and make up for Porziņģis’ missing offense. White and Tatum rekindled their effective two man game, and when Brown returned, he screened to free Tatum for a three.

Garbage time arrived quickly in the fourth with Tatum’s inferno placing the Celtics up by 21 only two minutes into the frame. He exited one minute later after logging 15 straight since halftime, something Mazzulla monitored and called an early timeout to help the star manage, but with other stars down, New York rallying and deeper bench rotations on the floor, the Celtics altered their rotations accordingly and completed what Mazzulla said, aside from fouling, might’ve been one of their most complete efforts all year — in difficult circumstances.

“Usually (my hot stretches) come when I may play the whole quarter or a longer stretch,” Tatum said. “You see some free throws go in, maybe a couple looks in transition and then the tougher shots feel a little bit easier. I try to take care of my body as much as I can, eat the right things, drink a lot of Gatorade and take some naps.”