Derrick White stripped the ball away from Josh Giddey, and Kristaps Porzingis didn’t hesitate. He sprinted the other way, he sensed the 2-on-1 advantage, he finished White’s lob for an emphatic alley-oop jam.

Porzingis hung on the rim for a moment. Even midway through the fourth quarter, he looked fresh, he looked smooth. The Celtics big man – wrapping up a terrific performance with 27 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in Wednesday’s win over the Thunder – looked like he had a pep in his step. It was no coincidence.

“My legs are a little bit better. But mostly it’s just starting to turn up a little bit more, you know?” Porzingis said. “Understanding that we have playoffs soon. I want to be at the best, like, best moment for the playoffs.

“Just getting into that mindset finishing the regular season strong. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Wednesday was Porzingis at his best, the version the Celtics will need if they want to hang a banner this year. He dominated mismatches in the post, he was a threat from deep that allowed the game to open up for his teammates, and he was a force on the defensive end with five blocks and impacting several more shots as he won his matchup with Chet Holmgren.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Wednesday’s win marked an important teaching moment for his team. He was happy with their approach to the Thunder’s switches and their discipline in the post against a physical defense as they didn’t commit turnovers in the paint and maintained their spacing to open the game up. It all revolved around Porzingis, the key to their title hopes.

“He’s a huge impact,” Jaylen Brown said. “Just him being on the floor. His ability to shoot the ball, but then his ability to post up mismatches and be efficient in those regards. But then like what’s most important to me is the defensive side, his ability to just be solid, put his hands up and contest shots at the rim. When he’s doing that, he makes is mind up doing that and not taking any plays off, I think that takes our team to a whole other level. …

“We encourage that to be more and more, because in the playoffs it can be one possession, two possessions that could determine the game. So we need that KP to show up, be strong and be that impactful player that we have seen all year.”

Porzingis is recently removed from a hamstring injury that forced him out for five games last month but he said he’s getting closer to full health. The remaining six games will be important as he rounds into shape for a long postseason run.

“I still think I can be even better,” Porzingis said. “But I look forward to having my engine going on all cylinders when the playoffs come.”

Cause for concern?

Jaylen Brown bounced back from a rough opening three quarters on Wednesday before erupting for 15 points in the fourth quarter to bury the Thunder, but he was far from satisfied. He described his performance as an “(expletive) game” and said he wasn’t feeling his best. Part of that likely has to do with his left hand sprain, which forced him to miss Monday’s win over the Hornets and will certainly require some extra attention before the playoffs.

“I think I’ve got like a sprain or like a strain on a ligament in my hand, but I think it’s fine,” Brown said. “It’s something I’m not concerned with going forward but it bothered me a little bit tonight but part of it is working through it, playing through it, because that gives you a little more information down the line.”

Kicks for a cause

Mazzulla was proud to wear some custom shoes that supported a close friend on Wednesday night. Scott Morrison, who was an assistant coach with the Celtics alongside Mazzulla before joining Will Hardy’s staff as an assistant with the Jazz, spearheaded an initiative for head coaches around the league to wear custom shoes to raise awareness for Autism Acceptance Month in April.

Morrison’s son, Max, was diagnosed with autism in 2022, and Mazzulla is his godfather. Mazzulla was happy to support the cause, which aims to raise awareness and funds for autism resources and services.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla wears shoes for Autism Awareness month as the Celtics take on the Thunder at the Garden on Wednesday. (Staff Photo/Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

“My relationship with Scott is love/hate. My relationship with his son is love,” Mazzulla said. “Max is my godson, love him to death, grateful that Scott gave me that opportunity to be in his life. It’s a great day to kind of honor him and support him and support people that have autism. And just like anything else, it’s one of those things where it’s about the people, but it’s also you seeing the effect that it can have on families, marriages, and people. So you’re doing the best you can to support it, but I’m happy to do that for Max today.”

Tip-ins

Brown (left hand sprain) and White (low back contusion) are questionable for Friday night’s game against the Kings. Jaden Springer (left knee tendinopathy) remains out. …

Brown enters Friday’s matchup 17 points away from 10,000 career points. … The Celtics, who secured their 60th win of the season on Wednesday, have 14 60-win seasons, the most in NBA history. … With Wednesday’s 35-point win over the Thunder, the Celtics now have 16 victories by 25 or more points this season, the most in league history.