Kristaps Porzingis, the big man for the Boston Celtics, had not appeared on the court since the NBA Playoffs’ first round before taking the court for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

A calf strain had prevented Porzingis from playing. In spite of this, Boston managed to easily defeat the opposition in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and secure a trip to the Finals.

What might Porzinigs offer after 38 days away from the field? Well, Thursday night in Boston, we had a prompt response to that.

There were around eight minutes left in the first quarter when “The Unicorn” entered the game. He then went on to conquer supremely. That isn’t exaggeration.

Porzingis made 4-of-5 field goals, including 1-2 from beyond the arc. In only the first stanza, he tallied two blocks and three rebounds.

Porzingis showed absolutely no rust in the first quarter. It contributed to Boston’s 37–20 lead in the opening 12 minutes. In the history of the NBA Finals, this was the biggest lead following the first quarter.

Related: Before Game 1, the Boston Celtics deliver an important update on Kristaps Porzingis.

The NBA community responds to Kristaps Porzingis’ dominance

ng first quarter

Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports