How Much Has The Time Off Helped Porzingis?

It was about 18 months between the time when Kristaps Porzingis tore his ACL and his debut with the Dallas Mavericks. During his first season back, there were restrictions on him playing in back-to-backs and he had to work his way physically back into playing shape.

Let’s not forget, there won’t be any back-to-backs for Porzingis to have to account for in Orlando. Additionally, having what has been roughly four months off to recover and continue to work on his body and skill-set, the progress that could have been reserved for the 2020-21 season could happen at Disney World.

The flashes Porzingis showed during his nine performances after the All-Star break was intriguing to see. His playing time went up to 34.9 minutes per game while his averages increased to 23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 blocks with slightly better efficiency.

In a way, Porzingis will be the Mavericks’ greatest X-Factor during the resumption of the season. He is a matchup problem as it is when considering his shooting ability at his size, particularly when paired with Luka Doncic. If he can reach another level or two, Dallas could surprise in the playoffs.