Porzingis rusty but provides spark in 12-point Warriors debut - ESPN

ESPN
by Anthony Slater
February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Kristaps Porzingis made his highly anticipated debut for the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, delivering a glimpse of his potential despite a 121-110 loss to the Boston Celtics. Limited to just 17 minutes due to his lengthy absence since January 7, Porzingis showed signs of rust early but gradually found his rhythm. He finished with 12 points, including two关键三分球 and successful post-ups in the second half, helping the Warriors outscore the Celtics by 15 points during his time on the court. However, the Celtics' dominant performance, highlighted by Jaylen Brown's triple-double, ultimately secured the win. The game marked Porzingis's first appearance with the Warriors after being acquired via trade earlier this month. His limited minutes were a strategic move by coach Steve Kerr to ease him back into action after nearly a month out of competitive play. Despite his initial struggles—missing his first two
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Originally published on ESPN on 2/20/2026