Latvian centre Kristaps Porzingis believes the Boston Celtics have recaptured their killer instinct during the tail-end of the regular season and are looking “like a different animal” ahead of the start of the playoffs this weekend.
The defending NBA champions locked down the No 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and will take on the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the playoffs opening round on Sunday.
Boston overcame post-championship fatigue, a spate of injuries, and stiff competition to post a 61-21 record this regular season. During a shaky period for the team in January, Porzingis admitted “we were a lion last season, and some games this year we've looked like a house cat”.
Fast-forward to the post-season and the title holders are ready to hunt their prey.
“I think we had moments where we started to look like a different animal again, especially towards the end of the year,” Porzingis told a select group of international media over Zoom on Tuesday.
“I think everybody kind of started to turn up the intensity just a bit, knowing that we're about to go for another run. And you can see in our performances late in the season.
“We still ended up with the second seed, but I think we're playing some of the best basketball in the league, and we want to bring that momentum into the playoffs.”
The Celtics are looking to become the first back-to-back NBA champions since the Golden State Warriors defended their crown in the 2017/18 season.
While Boston hold the record for most NBA titles won, with 18, they have not done a repeat since 1968/69.
Porzingis says the idea of making history is fuelling the team.
“I liked what JD [Davidson] said the other day: We’re not defending a championship; we’re just trying to win another one. We won one last year and now we have the opportunity to make history, to win two in a row,” said Porzingis.
“This year is a completely different year, different season, and what we are trying to do is to hunt another championship again, and that's our mindset.”
This is Porzingis’ second campaign with the Celtics and it proved particularly challenging given he had to miss training camp as well as the first month of the season as he continued to recover from surgery that repaired a torn medial retinaculum in his left foot.
His 42 appearances for Boston this season is a career-low mark for him but he put up good numbers, averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
“Obviously, just not being able to start the season, not having a training camp, coming off the injury from last season, then having some ups and downs even throughout the season, you know, getting sick and being out for two, three weeks; all those things take a little bit of recovering and getting back into rhythm,” said the 29-year-old All Star.
“Which I'm very good at because, unfortunately, maybe I've had some things I had to go through, and then come back again and come back again. In that sense, I have good experience to be able to jump in the game right away and have a good rhythm.
“But anyway, it's not easy. It's been a little bit of battle for me this year, but I'm here now, I'm healthy now, heading into the playoffs, and that's the most important.”
Porzingis pointed out that Boston are once again one of the best teams in the league both offensively and defensively and says, “we believe that with an extra year of experience now under our belt, we can make another run for the championship”.
This is the third season for the Celtics with coach Joe Mazzulla at the helm and the players have bought into his egoless team-first philosophy. They play team basketball on both sides of the floor, focus on pace and ball movement, and rely heavily on three-point shooting; they set multiple three-point records this season including most threes per campaign with 1,457 made.
“It's important to keep playing like selfless basketball that we've been playing,” said Porzingis, looking ahead to the playoffs.
“When we have those moments where, I don't know, four or five guys touch the ball and D-White [Derrick White] hits a corner three or Payton [Pritchard] hits a three at the end, and we get this burst of energy is I think when we are at our best.
“Or we make some energy play, maybe somebody dives into the crowd, these are the type of plays that Boston loves the most. And those are the type of plays that represents us as a team, and no matter how talented we are, we always want to be the hardest-playing team. And when we do those things, it's when we're really representing ourselves in a Celtic way.”
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Price: From Dh149,900
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
