With Jason Tatum out, the Celtics had to rely on other players to fill the gap. Derrick White and Jalen Brown really stepped up. But, honestly, who expected Luke Cornett to come through like this?
This isn’t the Cornett fans saw during his time with the Knicks. Now donning Celtics colors, he played a pivotal role in this series.
He wasn’t the typical Cornett we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.
However, on Wednesday, he dominated in a 127-102 victory over the Knicks at TD Garden, scoring 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting, grabbing nine rebounds, and achieving a career-high seven blocks—all in just 26 minutes off the bench. He really created trouble for Karl-Anthony Towns; that was impressive, to say the least. He truly stepped up against the Knicks.
Interestingly, Cornett became the first player in NBA playoff history to achieve at least 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks while shooting 100% from the field.
Those seven blocks tied for the second-most in Celtics playoff history.
“Luke was huge,” Jalen Brown noted after the game. “Both defensively and offensively, he was fantastic. That’s exactly what we need in the playoffs—big plays and defensive stops. He had that backward lob.”
Cornett’s standout performance came at a time when Kristaps Porzingis struggled and didn’t even play in the second half. Porzingis is currently dealing with an undisclosed illness, and coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned he “couldn’t breathe,” which limited his usage in the game.
Porzingis played only 12 minutes, scoring just one point and failing to make a field goal. As a result, Cornett got most of the playing time.
Mazzulla might very well consider starting Cornett instead of Porzingis if the latter continues to have issues.
Cornett was instrumental during the third quarter when the Celtics outscored the Knicks 32-17.
It seems that Cornett’s concerns might be more focused on the Knicks than on Porzingis’s condition.
“I was just trying to make plays,” Cornett explained. “Our season’s on the line, and we’re all trying to give our best effort. What I ask for is to do whatever is needed for the Celtics, starting or coming off the bench. You have to take responsibility and perform well in any role.”
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The Celtics had Jule Holiday in the mix and Josh Hart with Cornett. This setup allowed Cornett to focus on defense, especially against Jalen Brunson.
This strategy seems to be paying off for Mazzulla.
“He was exceptional on both ends of the court,” Mazzulla remarked. “We protected the rim well and managed to do so without fouling. His presence was invaluable, particularly when getting rebounds—nine in total, two of which were offensive. He made crucial plays for us.”
