The Boston Celtics will likely enter Game 2 of its Eastern Conference series against the New York Knicks shorthandedly. Down 1-o in the series, the Celtics got good news about Kristaps Porzingis, who left Game 1 early due to an illness, while Sam Hauser‘s status is more concerning.
According to Ian Begley of SNY TV, Hauser is doubtful for tonight’s game against the Knicks due to a sprained right ankle. Hauser left the game after four minutes of action during the Celtics’ 108-105 overtime loss on Monday. Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com said that the sharpshooting forward, who missed his three-point shots before exiting, was seen limping out of Boston Garden with a protective boot on the ankle.
How Will Sam Hauser’s Injury Affect Joe Mazzula’s EC Semis Rotation?
Meanwhile, Begley also said that Porzingis is on track to play in Game 2. Porzingis was clearly hampered by the sickness in Game 1, as the 7-2 center was highly ineffective in his 13 minutes of action. He finished with 0 points, missing all four of his shots, grabbing four boards, and having one assist along with a turnover.
Porzingis missed eight games in March due to a viral illness. Celtics coach Joe Mazzula told reporters that the team believes the residual effects of that illness caused the 29-year-old’s exit.
“I think since he came back, he’s kind of been dealing with it on and off,” Mazzulla said via MassLive. “Fighting through it, working through it, doing the best that he can. And I think it was just too much for him in that game. So I didn’t know that was going to happen until I found out about it in that game, but he had been working through it since he’s gotten back. And he’s done a great job of being available, and it was just tough for him to continue yesterday, so we’ll see kind of how he handles that.”
Kristaps Porzingis Role
With Porzingis and Hauser unable to play, Mazzula had to change his rotation in Game 1. While Porzings hasn’t played heavy minutes in the postseason besides in close games, Mazulla had two bigs in two of his three most common lineups — a combination of Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. But in the second of Game 1, Mazzula decided to go with just one big on the floor.
New York definitely took advantage of Boston’s shorthandedness in Game 1. The Knicks outscored the Celtics 55-39 over the last 24 minutes of the game. In the second half, the Knicks shot 46% from the field while holding the C’s to just 29% shooting.
Monday’s setback marked just the Celtics’ second loss to the Knicks since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign. Six of the C’s eight victories over the Knicks during this stretch have been by double figures. In the four regular-season contests, the Celtics outscored the Knicks by 16 points a game.
The 29-year-old Latvian played a huge part in the Celtics’ domination of the Knicks. In two games against the Knicks this season, Porzingis tallied 49 points on 50% shooting from the field and grabbed 11 boards. Ten of his 17 field goals were from beyond the arc, connecting on 45.5% of his 22 attempts. He also had two steals and four blocks and was a +8.5 in plus/minus.
Porzingis Against The Knicks
Porzingis has generally played well against his former team. In 15 career games against the Knicks, He has produced four double-doubles and scored 20 or more points 11 times. Overall, he averages 21.1 points and 7.5 rebounds against New York.
“KP is big for us,” Jrue Holiday said after Game 1. “Obviously so versatile, person who can either play in the paint or stretch the floor. Protects the rim, protects the paint, blocks shots, and we definitely miss him.”
Mazzula used 32 different starting lineups this year, which was six more than he used all of last season. His best-starting unit has consisted of Porzingis, Holiday, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White. When these five start together, the C’s are 19-6, including 1-1 in the playoffs. But those five have only started two of the team’s six postseason contests. Tatum sat out Game 2 of the Orlando series, and Holiday missed three of the five first-round games.
How Will Mazzula Replace Sam Hauser?
With Porzingis expected to play tonight, barring the illness flaring up, Mazzula’s biggest issue will be replacing Hauser in his rotation.
Mazzula typically gave some run to nine or 10 players during the regular season. Nine Celtics are averaging double-digit minutes this postseason. But with Porzingis out for most of Game 1, Mazzula didn’t insert Hauser into the game until the third quarter. Prior to the last game, Hauser had played at least nine minutes in each of the first five contests.
Hauser is not irreplaceable by any means. But the 6-8 forward does provide the Celtics another shooter and a little more size at small forward than White, Brown, and Holiday. Known as a 3-and-D’er, Hauser has struggled on the defensive end the past couple of seasons. His biggest issue is guarding quicker players on the perimeter.
Hauser averages 2.7 points with shooting splits of 46.2/36.4/0.0 and a +4.6 plus/minus rating this postseason. He averaged 5.4 points and 1.8 treys at a 38% clip last season playoff for the Celtics. So, he is still a valuable member of the Celtics bench mob, which ranked No. 7 in the league.
With Boston needing to win the series tonight, expect Mazzula to give Tatum, Brown, and White the majority of minutes at the three. While Boston can earn a split without Hauser tonight, the bigger picture without Hauser could cause some consternation.
When Could Sam Hauser Return To The Court?
Obviously, Boston’s biggest fear is if Hauser is out for an extended period and any of the Celtics’ top seven players get hurt. This includes Payton Pritchard, who has followed a career season by getting off to an outstanding start to the postseason. Hauser is considered day-to-day, but ankles are tricky. However, Game 3 of the series is not until Saturday.
If that scenario plays out, Mazzula would likely turn to Torrey Craig. The Celtics signed the 34-year-old forward to the veteran’s minimum after Chicago waived him in early February for the express purpose of the playoffs.
Craig, known for his tenacity and defensive prowess, has not played much for the Celtics. Craig averaged less than 12 minutes in 17 appearances for the Celtcs, compiling 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds. He has reached double-figures four times, including once for the Celtics against Philadelphia.
Craig has played five minutes in two play games thus far, so Mazzula may not trust him. I believe Mazzula would throw Craig out there if necessary, as he really doesn’t have any other option.
Jordan Walsh appeared in 52 games for Boston but wasn’t that productive in limited minutes. Walsh is considered a good defender. Baylor Scheierman could also be an option, though the 24-year-old only appeared in 24 games as a rookie and struggled a little.
Photo Credit: © David Butler II, Imagn Images
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