The Celtics were struggling to get over the hump after what seemed like a perpetual yo-yo, bouncing back and forth. Whenever Boston inched closer, the Thunder had an answer with a run of their own.
With the score tied at 82 early in the fourth quarter, the Celtics were looking for that one gut punch that would send the Thunder sprawling to the mat. What Boston found as its own answer was a 7-foot-2 center: Luke Kornet. He lined up for a 3-pointer and knocked in his first bucket as a Celtic. Then he did it again.
Kornet’s back-to-back 3-pointers were part of the game-deciding 17-0 Boston run. The former Bull, not even 72 hours into his C’s tenure, made plenty of noise in his introduction. Kornet finished with 13 minutes, eight points and five rebounds and was a plus-21, sticking out on the court — and not just for his height.
Boston never looked back in a 111-94 win Saturday at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
“It was a lot of fun, honestly just to be able to play with this group of guys,” Kornet said. “Watching them in Milwaukee, super talented dudes and also like really good dudes, so it was just fun to be able to get out there and play.”
Much like the rest of his traded brethren, it’s been a startling few days for Kornet. He found himself shipped from Chicago to Boston right at the 3 p.m. trade deadline. In a geographical convenience, Kornet actually only had a quick drive to meet his new squad since the Celtics were in Milwaukee.
As the Celtics return to Boston for a seven-game homestand, Kornet, like his fellow traded teammates, will have to figure out the logistics of a new life. Whenever he takes a second to relax and slow things down, he said, there’s a lot of emotions that came from the trade.
“Once I got over that whole part of it, I was just really excited to come here,” Kornet said. “Like Boston is an awesome place and a franchise that I’ve always appreciated through watching, so it’s really cool to be here to be able to play with these guys.”
Kornet made it in the NBA after starting his career on a two-way deal with the Knicks. After a four-year career in Vanderbilt, Kornet went undrafted. He played his way to an NBA contract in New York. Kornet eventually inked a two-year contract with the Bulls before finding his way on the Celtics’ roster.
He was the second of three traded Celtics to make his debut. Moe Wagner made it onto the court in Friday’s win over the Bucks. Evan Fournier, the big piece from the trade deadline, is out indefinitely because of health and safety protocols.
“We got guys that’s coming in that’s eager to make a stand for themselves and prove themselves,” Marcus Smart said. “Coming out here and contribute. Each of those guys brings something unique to the table for our team.”
While Kornet’s primary skillsets comes from blocking shots and 3-pointers, Boston coach Brad Stevens pointed to another strength: his pick-and-roll defense. Stevens said they’ve been interested in Kornet for years, adding he’s always in great positioning and affects shots at the rim.
Kornet said that’s been a specific emphasis of his since he neared the end of his college career. While he admitted he likely won’t stuff a stat sheet like other bigs, he tries to impact the game in other ways.
“I’m not necessarily really going after blocked shots or even going after defensive rebounds,” Kornet said. “But I’m just trying to make life harder and secure the ball for our team, so it’s great when you have a coach that kind of picks up on the nuances of what you’re trying to do and appreciates it.”
