Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis showed he can still be dominant in the team’s victory over the Lakers on Saturday, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes. Porzingis finished with 27 points and five assists, helping his team win 127-119.
“Just down the stretch, we wanted to play through him,” teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “No one could stop K.P. at the elbow. He was just turning around and shooting over everybody. It’s going to be great just to see if we can get him a full season. We already know what he can do.”
Porzingis was acquired by the Wizards in February. He has dealt with a variety of injuries over his career (and hasn’t played over 60 games since the 2016/17 season), but he can still be productive when healthy. In seven games with Washington, he’s averaging 20.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest.
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- DeAndre Jordan is discovering his niche as a late-season addition with the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines. Jordan was waived by the Lakers earlier this month and subsequently signed with Philadelphia. He recorded eight points and seven rebounds in the team’s win over Dallas on Friday, logging 13 minutes off the bench.
- Longtime Heat veteran Udonis Haslem briefly explained why the team has had success developing players in recent years, as relayed by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Those undrafted guys come here – Max [Strus], Gabe [Vincent], Caleb [Martin], Duncan [Robinson], Omer [Yurtseven], Chris Silva – when those guys come in here, it’s an automatic expectation from me to do more than the guys that got drafted, do more than the guys that got signed, work harder, push more, pay attention to detail more,” Haslem said. “And nobody complains here. That’s one thing about these young guys; they don’t complain.”
- Playing Markieff Morris at small-ball five is no longer a stretch for the Heat, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel contends. Morris saw action as a backup center against Oklahoma City on Friday, scoring 13 points in nearly 20 minutes. The Heat could play Morris more at center in certain lineups and matchups, as nine-year veteran Dewayne Dedmon has struggled in recent weeks.
Amazingly on brand for Ira to come in this late on Morris at the 5 lol
It just goes back to stuff I’ve said for years. Identify Miami Heat players, and plug them in to spots where there is a need, and those types of guys will improve and develop, and impact winning…b/c that’s what they do. They’re winning players, and it doesnt hurt that they dont have to deal with a coach like Doc Rivers, who probably has no idea those guys are even in the organization. They have people like Spo, and UD, and Caron Butler, etc constantly giving them confidence, and putting them in position to succeed. They’re so confident in you as a player, they will make you do more work if you pass up shots/dont make the play that’s there for you b/c you think you should defer. If you defend, play hard, and do the right things, you will get opportunities with the Miami Heat
As a Heat fan, great to see SPO tinkering with lineup before the playoffs. Morris can play small ball 5 center, with mid range game.. which helps clear lane for Tyler, Jimmy, Guards…See line up of Tyler, Strus, Martin—playing together—- or other combinations of Tyler/ Robinson. 2 floor spacers on floor at same time… Go Heat!
coming from the guy who wanted the Heat to trade or cut Morris and chase another PF to take his spot.. this is amazing gaslighting to me.. wow
This is about Morris at the 5, which I’ve talked about the entire time
You’re attacking Ira (again) for being “late” to realizing Morris’ worth… yet what.. 3 weeks ago, you were saying the heat should trade or cut him and sign a back up PF? Tell me which part I’m missing here?
That’s not what I’m saying at all, but it fits your new persona of putting words in people’s mouths/or missing their point. Morris at the 5, if they are using him at all, has been something I’ve talked about since they signed him, and you can go back to even just a couple of previous articles from this one and see me mentioning it again
are you denying what you said when I called for the heat to sign dragic and you said they should cut morris and find a PF instead? Did that not happen? Being a hypocrite multiple times doesn’t change the hypocrisy sir lol
I am not denying that at all whatsoever, but I also said that if they keep and use him, it should be at small ball 5 in certain matchups, and only very rarely at the 4, against certain other matchups. You choosing to ignore comments that are there in plain sight, over and over again, doesnt make me a hypocrite
We all know what KP6 can do!
Guy is a flipping Unicorn!
I love UD… but him trying to take credit for all the Heat scouting success was a bit much for me lol…. Andy Elisburg is the man who carved out the scouting team. Shane Battier (no longer in the position) created an analytics department for the Heat.. those are the guys that deserve the credit to me. UD can whip those boys on the court.. but they gotta get to the court first Udonis.
“It’s going to be great just to see if we can get him a full season.”
Two other teams had the same expectations but due to a chronic ability to get injured the Unicorn is on his 3rd team.
Love the first bullet point.
8-7 in 13 from Jordan.
I Rennes bring laughter at and made fun of cause apparently Jordan is washed and that would be a miracle. But here he is doing it and we won
Last night 0-2 in 11 minutes from Jordan and you lost.
Can’t win em all