Practically everyone remembers the old “Be Like Mike” commercial, which was an ode to Michael Jordan. Well, as far as the center position in the NBA today is concerned, Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle believes players should want to be like Kristaps Porzingis.
Now in his fifth NBA season, Porzingis is versatile enough to post-up defenders, dribble and drive to the basket, or take an opponent outside of the perimeter and drain a 3-point shot. He has all of those weapons in his arsenal — and more.
“KP is a great player — just flat-out,” Carlisle said on a Monday morning Zoom interview from the bubble in Orlando. “He’s a great team player, he has high impact defensively, offensively he’s changing the game at the (center) position.
“If I’m a young (center) coming up through the AAU system, I would aspire to have his skill set, his physical skills. Here’s a guy who is 7-3 that can dribble, pass, shoot, make plays, and he has an amazing feel for the game.”
Those assets enabled Porzingis to average 19.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game this season. And although he has played more power forward than at the center spot in this his first season with the Mavs, Porzingis believes locking a player into one specific position is outdated in the NBA.
“I think the game now is kind of open,” he said. “There’s no specific positions any more as there used to be. I play a lot on the perimeter. We find ways how to utilize my skill set. If it’s a (small forward, power forward or center), it doesn’t really matter.”
That’s the value of having someone of Porzingis’ ilk. Affectionately known as the Unicorn, he describes himself as just a basketball player – plain and simple.
“In some situations I’m going to maybe be playing the point guard,” Porzingis said. “It’s going to be pretty open.
“I think now coach Carlisle is going to find ways how to really — he’s already found ways how to put me in good positions. But he knows I can be dangerous wherever I can help the team.”
The danger Porzingis brings to the table was put on full display several times this season. That includes a 13-game stretch bridging the All-Star break when he collected a double-double in 10 of those games while averaging 26.2 points and 10 rebounds.
That dominant performance solidified the fact that the Mavs had gotten Porzingis from the New York Knicks in a steal of a blockbuster deal the franchise pulled off on Jan. 31, 2019.
“I think the biggest thing that we’ve learned is how he fits into how we’re going to be playing,” Carlisle said of Porzingis. “The last time he played (before this season) he was playing with the Knicks and they were either playing the Triangle offense or they were in the process of phasing out of it gradually.
“So the spacing with that is way different than how we’re playing. This season, particularly the last month-and-a-half of this season before the hiatus, we saw how he fits into a (center-out) scenario with spacing and how his skill set can affect the game in such a positive way.”
Carlisle also saw Porzingis’ home town in Latvia up close and personal when he visited there last summer. Thus, when Porzingis went home after the NBA was suspended on March 11, Carlisle knew Porzingis had good place where he could keep himself in shape.
“I’m familiar with the gym there because I was at his camp last year in early June, so I’m familiar with the setup there,” Carlisle said. “He was able to get a lot of work in by himself in the gym.
“By nature, he’s a guy that loves to work on his game. He loves playing basketball, he’s learned a lot about working on his body – not just since the ACL surgery (on Feb. 13, 2018), but even before that.”
Porzingis also has learned that the NBA has left no stone unturned while trying to make sure every safety protocol is followed under the bubble in Orlando during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Obviously we’ve been very cautious with everything here in the bubble, and I think it’s a good thing,” Porzingis said. “Obviously I believe the NBA is the best league in the world in that sense.
“It’s the best association to be a part of, and the Mavericks are just glad to be a part of this. This is going to probably go down in history as the only time that something like this will be done. We’re getting to be in the moment, enjoy this and at the end play the game for us and for the fans.”
With their magic number down to two to clinch a playoff berth, the Mavs will open the restart of their eight-game regular season on July 31 at 7 p.m. against the Houston Rockets. When the playoffs begin in mid-August, it will be Porzingis’ first trip to the postseason.
“I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to be in the playoffs for the first time in my NBA career,” he said. “I have some (playoff) experience in Europe and I know it’s a different atmosphere, it’s a different energy when the playoffs are happening, and even more so probably here in the NBA.
“I’m extremely excited about where we are as a team and we look forward to finishing the regular season first and then see where we end up. And just play the hardest basketball we’ve ever played and aim as high as we can.”
That’s precisely what Porzingis has been doing – aiming as high as he can – while helping the Mavs tote a 40-27 record down the home stretch.
“KP is really an important guy for us and he’s doing real well,” Carlisle said. “He’s been doing all the right things, and so far here I just love the way he’s playing and I love the way he’s moving. His vibe is very positive and energetic.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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