2. Kristaps Porzingis
If there's any time for Porzingis to show up, it would be now. Inserted in the starting lineup or becoming an X-factor off the bench, Boston will need him to be at his best for the remainder of this playoff run.
A mystery illness has limited Kristaps to just 17.5 minutes per game against the Knicks, after he played 27.4 minutes per game and started all five games in the first round series against Orlando.
The illness has affected him, as the 7-footer has shot just 33.3% from the field and 12.5% from three in these playoffs. The stat sheet doesn't do justice to just how out of sorts Porzingis has looked, as he's allowed offensive rebounds and missed easy layups. He's also been a non-factor in protecting the rim, averaging just under a block a game in the playoffs after averaging 1.5 in the regular season.
It seems Porzingis is starting to feel a little bit better from the illness, as he said to the media following the Game 4 loss. Any progress is good progress, and Celtics fans will hope Kristaps can play up to his standards the rest of the way.
Getting Porzingis minutes early in games should be a priority for Joe Mazzulla to let him get a feel for his jumpshot and the pace of the game. The Celtics have been rolling with a starting lineup of Holiday-White-Brown-Tatum-Horford in the previous three games, but given the injury to Tatum, a spot needs to be filled, and the Celtics could run a double big lineup, with Porzingis included.
Starting lineup or not, Porzingis leaves his mark on the game by being able to stretch the floor and protecting the rim. He will need to do every bit of that, and then some, if the Celtics want to save their season.