Luke Kornet after showing versatility in Celtics win: ‘The eclipse was built for the Sun’
Kornet scored 14 points and was sharp defensively as Boston beat Phoenix, 117-107, on Saturday.
As Celtics big man Luke Kornet chatted with NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin following a standout performance Saturday night, teammate Derrick White strolled by and playfully imitated the “Kornet Contest.”
Kornet and Chin grinned, and Kornet provided some illuminating context.
“The eclipse was built for the Sun,” Kornet said, a reference to both his signature move and the Phoenix Suns. “You know what I’m saying? There’s something there, obviously.”
Kornet finished 6 for 7 for 14 points, plus six rebounds and a block, and was plus-12 in 20 minutes in Boston’s 117-107 win. The Kornet Contest was 3 for 3, and he also reached 500 career field goals and tied a career-high with five dunks.
He even tapped his head – a celebration he realizes might be a bit outdated – after perhaps his most impressive throwdown, when he put back a Jayson Tatum miss with authority.
“I was feeling a certain type of way,” Kornet told Chin. “I was feeling a lot of energy, and probably a lot of testosterone or something. I was just very revved up. Adrenaline is what I was looking for. Maybe both. I don’t know.”
With Kristaps Porzingis out, Kornet saw added responsibility and made the most of it.
He was active and involved on both ends and was an integral part of Boston’s attack. He worked in tandem with the Celtics’ playmakers and served as a pick-and-roll threat on offense and altered shots – from both near and far – on defense.
He said his approach was simply to bring energy and do what he could for the team.
“Guys just found me,” Kornet said. “They were kind of playing up, so just trying to get behind the defense. Had some great passes from guys.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Kornet is “one of the best” at the Celtics’ defensive system.
“He’s just got an innate ability to communicate our defensive system but also make the right read defensively,” Mazzulla told reporters. “It’s an under-appreciated skill that Luke has to be able to do that, and that’s why we trust him defensively.”
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