How Kristaps Porzingis Handled Question About Luka Doncic Rumors

There’s been plenty made about the vitriol Kyrie Irving will receive from Celtics fans when he returns to Boston in the NBA Finals.

But when the best-of-seven series shifts to Dallas, a certain visitor might be the victim of an icy reception.

Kristaps Porzingis, who’s expected to return from injury in Game 1, likely will hear it from Mavericks fans when he takes the American Airlines Center floor. Porzingis’ Mavs tenure of two years-plus didn’t work out, and reports claim friction with Luka Doncic factored into the failed experiment.

The star big man was asked about those rumors Tuesday, but he wasn’t willing to dive in.

“Obviously, it didn’t work out. It didn’t work out,” Porzingis told reporters, per a video shared by CelticsBlog’s Jack Simone. “I think it was — yeah. Once the trade happened — I’m not even thinking about that right now. I’m focused on the job at hand. We can talk about that later.”

Doncic also was asked about the same narrative Tuesday. The Mavs star was a bit more forthcoming, as he claimed he and Porzingis have a “good relationship.”

Porzingis and Doncic are slated to share the TD Garden floor Thursday night when the Finals begin. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.