In their first game back from the All-Star break, Kristaps Porziņģis made his Golden State Warriors debut on Thursday night in a 121-110 loss to the Boston Celtics at Chase Center.
Porziņģis, acquired from the Atlanta Hawks at the NBA trade deadline earlier this month, scored 12 points in 17 minutes in his first appearance for the Warriors, shooting efficiently and showing flashes of his talent despite a long layoff.
The Latvian big man had been out of action since January 7 due to injury and limited to just a bench role as he reacclimates to live NBA competition, but he still managed to make an impact with his scoring touch and spacing ability.
With Stephen Curry sidelined due to a knee issue, Golden State struggled to keep pace offensively against a deep Boston roster that featured a triple-double performance from Jaylen Brown.
Even in defeat, Porziņģis’ Warriors debut offered glimpses of what the 7-foot-2 forward/center can bring to the rotation, adding a new dimension to Golden State’s frontcourt.
His first game with the team marks a new chapter for the Latvian star after being traded to the Warriors earlier this season.
