San Francisco - Kristaps Porzingis is back on the court, and every minute he plays is a positive sign for the Golden State Warriors. Despite a tough 130-124 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls, Porzingis made his presence felt in his third appearance with the Warriors since being traded for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. After missing six games due to illness, Porzingis showed flashes of his potential, contributing 17 points, four rebounds, and four blocks in just 20 minutes.
Porzingis candidly assessed his performance, acknowledging that he’s still finding his rhythm. “It's not so good, it's not too good,” he said.
“But I'm still able to knock some shots down. I think it's just a matter of time finding a good rhythm and knocking open looks down.”
He started strong, hitting a pick-and-pop three and a smooth turnaround jumper. During a crucial 12-0 third-quarter run, Porzingis nailed a wing three in transition, electrifying the Chase Center crowd. On defense, he was a formidable presence, challenging the Bulls at the rim.
While there's room for improvement, Porzingis is clearly on an upward trajectory. He admits that regaining full stamina is still a work in progress.
“Definitely [felt] better today,” he noted. “I would say I need probably four or five games to feel pretty good.
Still feel like my legs are not great, you know, I would make some other decisions if I felt like my legs are there, you know. But I'm playing with the cards I have now.
And I think I will just keep building with each game.”
Reflecting on a missed fastbreak opportunity, Porzingis acknowledged that his legs aren’t fully back yet. He also mentioned some drive attempts and defensive plays where he felt off.
“It will come,” he assured. “It's just a matter of time.
And today, I would say, it was already a baby step forward from the first game.”
Porzingis's journey back is challenging, especially given his medical history. He missed significant time with the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks due to injuries and his POTS condition. However, his 20-minute performance against the Bulls is a promising step forward.
“I’m pretty gassed with these minutes,” Porzingis admitted. “But I think it's gonna be a bit of a build-up, but hopefully I'll keep feeling better with each game.”
With each game, Porzingis is building momentum, and the Warriors are hopeful for what he can bring as he continues to regain his form.