Kristaps Porziņģis and the Boston Celtics saw their four-game winning streak get snapped by the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics were on a back-to-back and were up against arguably the hottest team in the NBA.
Porziņģis himself admitted his frustrations after the game, specifically admitting that the lack of calls got to him.
Kristaps Porziņģis Admitted That The Referees’ Lack Of Calls Made Him ‘Riled Up’
Porziņģis explained why the lack of calls during the game got to him.
“They were really handsy,” Porziņģis told reporters after the game, per Bobby Krivitsky. “Refs were not calling a lot of stuff, so this was one of those games where we had to adapt quick, and I felt like we didn’t. Especially myself. I was emotional and I was riled up about maybe not getting some calls that we usually get.”
Despite his frustration with the referees, the Celtics big man admitted it wasn’t their night.
“So, just not a good night for us. And that’s it. We’ve been here before, and we look forward to the next one,” Porziņģis said.
Kristaps Porzingis when asked by @GwashburnGlobe about the Celtics’ 19 turnovers, which led to 24 points for the Pistons:
“They were really handsy…Refs were not calling a lot of stuff, so this was one of those games where we had to adapt quick, and I felt like we didn’t.… pic.twitter.com/imxfs4MgOI
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) February 27, 2025
Porziņģis himself did not have the best game against the Pistons. On the night, he had 11 points while shooting four-for-11 from the field. He was returning after missing Boston’s previous game against the Toronto Raptors due to illness, so it’s very possible he was still dealing with the lingering effects of what he came down with.
The Celtics have actually been one of the best teams when it comes to handling the ball. They allow 11.4 turnovers a game, good for second among NBA teams behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder, per ESPN.com. Against the Pistons, the Celtics surrendered 17 turnovers, which certainly contributed to their loss.
The Pistons also scored 24 points off the Celtics’ 17 turnovers. If that’s not enough, the Pistons had 29 fastbreak points compared to the Celtics’ eight. Since Boston lost by 20, numbers like those loom large.
Detroit has been one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises. Because of their youth and energy, they play a certain style that can take teams out of their rhythm. Porziņģis may have a point that there should have been more calls, but at least he knows that he should have tried to fight through when the referees let both teams play.
This was also a double-digit victory for the Pistons, so even if some fouls weren’t called, the Pistons certainly handled their business against one of the NBA’s best teams.
