Celtics

The Celtics have had four different players win Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season.

Kristaps Porzingis seems to be rounding into form just ahead of the Celtics’ promising playoff push for Banner 18.

Boston’s big man was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for April 1-7, averaging 19.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game over a perfect 4-0 slate for the Celtics.

It’s an impressive accomplishment for the 28-year-old Porzingis, who missed five straight games last month while recovering from a hamstring strain.

But Porzingis’ accolade also etched the 2023-24 Celtics into the NBA record books. Porzingis became the fourth Celtics player to win Player of the Week this season. No NBA team has had four different players win Player of the Week in a single year since the award’s inception in 1979-80.

Jayson Tatum (Nov. 6), Jaylen Brown (March 4), and Derrick White (March 25) are the three Celtics to also get the nod.

The Celtics have little left to prove over the final few games of the regular season, having already clinched the best record in the entire NBA. But the playoffs will put plenty of pressure on a Boston team that has held court as a top title contender for years now. 

The presence of Porzingis gives Boston an added lift down both ends of the court, with the 7-foot-2 center averaging 20.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game in his first season with the Celtics. 

“He’s a huge impact,” Jaylen Brown said of Porzingis’ play following Boston’s win over the Thunder last week. “Just him being on the floor, his ability to shoot the ball, but then his ability to post up mismatches and be efficient in those regards. But then, what’s most important to me is the defensive side, his ability to just be solid, put his hands up, and contest shots at the rim. When he makes his mind up and is doing that, not taking any plays off, I think that takes our team to a whole other level.

“We encourage that more and more because in the playoffs it could be one possession or two possessions that determines the game. We need that KP to show up, to be strong, and to be that impactful player that we’ve seen all year.”