3 major observations from Kristaps Porzingis’s turbulent debut

The Atlanta Hawks had one of the best offseasons in the league, the crown jewel of which was the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis for pennies on the dollar. Porzingis has lived up to his moniker “The Unicorn” by showcasing one of the most unique skillsets of any seven-footer in league history.

Despite a poor performance by his standards, Porzingis showed why he is the perfect big man to round out Atlanta’s elite starting lineup in the team’s preseason opener against the Houston Rockets tonight. In 12 minutes, Porzingis put up just 5 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal while racking up preventable fouls.

Still, his future role on his new team became clear after seeing him share the floor with his teammates. Three aspects of his performance were particularly inspiring.

Porzingis changes this offense without even trying

Porzingis’s value as a floor spacer is perhaps the most valuable asset he brings to a team. His mere presence on the floor raises a philosophical question the opposing coach cannot answer: how do you guard him? The obvious decision is to guard Porzingis with a center, limiting his individual scoring ability. This decision, however, draws out a team’s big man to the perimeter, where they cannot affect the paint and can be taken advantage of.

Houston chose the other option, attempting to defend Porzingis with Jabari Smith Jr to open the game. In theory, this is an excellent move - Smith Jr. is as tall as Sengun and has a longer wingspan. By allowing Sengun to guard Daniels, the Rockets could keep their rim protector in the paint, as Daniels is a questionable shooter. In practice, however, Porzingis hit an early jumper despite a contest from Smith Jr., and the Rockets were forced to switch back to a traditional matchup in just minutes.

The only way to stop Porzingis is to weaken your defense elsewhere, even when his shot isn't falling.

Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu will form a dangerous frontcourt duo, but only after they develop chemistry

Porzingis and Okongwu showed flashes of what could be an elite double big lineup. The initial shared minutes were awkward, with the two big men clogging the paint by simultaneously occupying the low post on multiple occasions. After a couple of minutes to gain familiarity, however, the two put on an impressive display of vintage high-low basketball. 

The play that best illustrates their chemistry came at the end of the first quarter. With a one-second difference between the shot and game clock, both bigs lurked in opposite dunker spots while Trae Young let the clock dwindle before attacking.

With about ten seconds left, Okongwu set a high ball screen, and the slow-footed Steven Adams blitzed Young to force a pass. Young swung the ball to a wing, who instantly fed a rolling Okongwu. Porzingis’s man stepped up to defend Okongwu, who promptly hit Porzingis for an open reverse layup.

This play is basketball in its purest form, with each player perfectly dissecting the defense to create an easy look. While Porzingis and Okongwu have to gain familiarity playing alongside each other, the two could replicate the magic of Houston’s own double big lineup last season.

Porzingis fills a critical need as a secondary creator

Okongwu wasn’t the only one to wow as a playmaker this game. Porzingis found a soft spot in the Rockets’ defense at the free throw line multiple times, allowing an easy entry pass. Porzingis is an elite scoring threat from the high post, utilizing a unique and unblockable hybrid between a floater and post fade. He wasn’t as aggressive as a scorer in these opportunities as we are accustomed to seeing, instead emulating the role of a center midfielder in soccer by instantly kicking to the open man.

This could present yet another catch-22 for opponents to grapple with. The usual correct positioning for help defenders would leave Porzingis open at the free throw line, where he is a true triple threat. To truly guard him at the nail, you often have to bring a second defender into the mix. Mitigating Porzingis's impact in this spot, however, requires teams sacrificing paint protection. 

His most impressive playmaking moment, however, was in the low post. After an offensive rebound bounced to a double-teamed Porzingis, he used his height to survey the floor while keeping the ball from harm's way. He located a wide-open Young in the corner, then swung a wraparound pass to secure the assist.

Porzingis is not only a capable third star for a team with serious playoff aspirations, but he is the perfect fit in this lineup. While he and the team have rust to shake off and chemistry to build, Porzingis's acquisition has enabled the most exciting era of Hawks basketball in recent memory.