Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla revealed postgame that Kristaps Porzingis was pulled from the Game 5 lineup due to breathing difficulties related to his ongoing illness.
Speaking after Boston’s 127-102 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday, Mazzulla addressed why Porzingis was not brought back for the second half, despite being active.
“He couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla said. “He was available if absolutely necessary. That was just a decision between me and him.”
Porzingis had played sparingly in the first half before Luke Kornet was inserted to start the third quarter. Kornet made a significant impact, finishing with nine rebounds, seven blocks, and 10 points.
Mazzulla emphasized that the switch was consistent with the team’s flexible rotation approach this season.
“You’ve seen a lot of that this year — changing the lineup at halftime is something that we’ve done a lot,” Mazzulla noted. “It just adds a different dimension and can change sub patterns throughout the game.”
Despite Porzingis’ limited availability, the Celtics delivered their most complete performance of the series, staving off elimination and trimming New York’s lead to 3-2.
When asked about Porzingis’ desire to play through his condition, Mazzulla made clear the Latvian center’s commitment.
“He wanted to be out there,” he said. “If we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him.”
With Jayson Tatum already sidelined for the remainder of the postseason due to an Achilles injury, Boston has leaned deeper into its bench. Luke Kornet’s performance exemplified that depth.
“His presence was good, especially under rebounding,” Mazzulla said. “He made some big-time plays for us.”
Boston also benefited from standout nights from Derrick White, who had a playoff career-high 34 points, and Jaylen Brown, who posted 26 points and 12 assists.
Mazzulla praised Brown’s defensive leadership, pointing to a key moment early in the game.
“Thought the dive into the bench kind of changed the game for us,” he said. “He was just great on all levels.”
The Celtics will now turn their focus to Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, needing another win to extend the series.
“I know KP will be ready for us,” Mazzulla added.
