How Celtics Especially Missed Kristaps Porzingis With Cavaliers ‘Mismatches’

BOSTON — Kristaps Porzingis wore a stylish throwback Celtics jacket at TD Garden on Thursday night. Unfortunately, Boston needed his impact around the rim.

Porzingis continues to rehab through a calf injury, as he is yet to play in the last three games. Boston felt his impact the most in its Game 2 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday.

Cleveland tallied 60 points in the paint and established a consistent offensive approach down low while the Celtics struggled to knock down shots from the perimeter in the second half. The Cavaliers understood the looks they would get from Boston’s Al Horford and Luke Kornet, setting up the successful adjustment.

“They start the game with Horford as their No. 5, he’s their sole rim protector in that unit,” Cleveland guard Caris LeVert said. “Then, they have Kornet in the second unit. After that, it’s just those two. I think we did a great job tonight of seeking out the mismatches. We did a great job of punishing switches. When Horford was on me or other guards, we were just beating them and finishing at the rim. I think we pose a lot of mismatches for them that they’re going to have to figure out.”

Porzingis tallied just under two blocks per game during the regular season and adds necessary length and rim protection for the Celtics as a defensive unit. His missing presence showed in Game 2 when the Cavaliers poured in 64 second-half points against the Celtics to cruise to victory.

The game of adjustments should be on full display when the Celtics and Cavaliers resume their series Saturday night in Cleveland for Game 3.