Joe Mazzulla Explains Benching Of Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis In Game 5 Win

The Boston Celtics kept their season alive without Jayson Tatum. They did so basically without Kristaps Porzingis, too.

Porzingis didn’t provide much of anything to the Celtics in their 127-102 Game 5 win over the New York Knicks at TD Garden on Wednesday. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t play Porzingis in the second half as the 7-foot-2 center missed all three of his shots from the field and scored just one point with one rebound in 12 minutes.

Mazzulla explained why he benched Porzingis as Porzingis just can’t shake the mysterious illness he’s dealt with throughout the playoffs.

“He couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “So, he was available if absolutely necessary. That was just a decision between me and him. He was having just difficulty breathing, but he wanted to be out there. And if we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him.”

It looked like Porzingis had turned a corner with the virus in Game 4 with the 29-year-old stating it was the best he felt in some time. Porzingis scored only seven points, but played 24 minutes, which was the most he had played since Game 3 against the Orlando Magic when he logged 34 minutes.

Porzingis said the virus zaps his energy and that was clearly the case in Game 5 as he looked sluggish on the court. He got pushed around down low, too, by Knicks center Mitchell Robinson.

Luke Kornet picked up Porzingis and the Celtics with a stellar performance, especially on the defensive end. Kornet went 5-for-5 from the field with 10 points, nine rebounds and an eye-popping seven blocks, which was two shy of tying a franchise record.

But the Celtics will need Porzingis, even if he’s not at 100% strength, to do more with Boston once again trying to stave off elimination in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

“I know KP will be ready for us,” Mazzulla said.