Kristaps Porzingis – Page 3 – NEW YORK KNICKS LOYALIST

Undermanned Knicks No Match for Warriors, Lose 103-90

No Melo. No Rose. No chance. The Knicks came into this game without two of their best offensive players and were overwhelmed by the dazzling passing of Golden State in 103-90 loss at Oracle Arena.

To be competitive, the Knicks at the very least needed monster games from Kristaps Porzingis and Brandon Jennings. Unfortunately, the tight Warriors defense quickly showed that wasn’t on the cards for anyone wearing New York blue.

GREEN STILL A STEP-AHEAD OF KP: Porzingis had made much of wanting to improve after struggling twice against Draymond Green last year. This first meeting showed KP still has much to learn. Although Green had a bad shooting night (5 points, 2/12), he was a +18 on the night largely due to his assists (7) and rebouning (11). Porzingis airballed several times due to Green’s physical defense, and finished with a meek 8 points (4/15 shooting) and 5 rebounds.

SHARING MEANS DOMINATION: The Warriors destroyed the Knicks with 41 assists. The ball movement allowed Golden State to get repeated open shots on the perimeter and countless uncontested layups. Javale McGee got to camp out at the rim for easy lobs (17 points). If it wasn’t for Kevin Durant (17 points, 7/18) and Steph Curry (8 points, 3/14) having off shooting nights, this would have easily been another 30-point blowout loss. Klay Thompson lead all scorers with 25 points (4/10 from downtown)

YOUNG GUYS PLAYING HARD: The depleted roster meant a few guys got significant playing time. Ron Baker was 6/7 (13 points) in 23 minutes, and got a few compliments from Durant for his play. Justin Holiday had 15 points and Willy Hernangomez nearly notched a double double (8 points, 10 rebounds).

BAD TIMING: The bad game on Tuesday in Phoenix gives us back to back losses and drops our record to 14-12. The Knicks are still #3 in the East, but that position is perilous. Saturday’s game in Denver is now a must-win. We can only hope that Rose or Melo (hopefully both) will be ready to go.

https://youtu.be/NsEARGIaz6k

Knicks Falter in OT, Lose to Suns 113-111

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

There was so much optimism coming into this game. We had a real chance to be 3-0 on this road trip headed into a difficult game on Thursday against Golden State. So what did the Knicks do? They played lethargic for most the game, get the lead, then choked away a 6-point cushion that results in a BS overtime loss.

There will be a strong desire to point fingers at the glaring culprits (Melo’s shooting and Jennings’ defense), but this loss goes deeper than that.

WAITING TOO LONG TO CARE: The Suns destroyed us in transition, holding a 33-8 edge in fast break points. Simply put, the Knicks just weren’t getting back on defense. In the second and third quarters, the Knicks went down by as much as 14. It wasn’t until the bench combination of Baker-Holiday-O’Quinn-Thomas-KP that New York got their offense together. You can credit a flagrant 1 committed by Marquese Chriss late in the third on Porzingis for finally getting the Knicks fired up.

BAKER OVERSTAYS HIS WELCOME: With Derrick Rose leaving in the first with back spasms and Jennings (3 points, 1-6) not playing well, Coach Hornacek turned to Ron Baker early in the fourth. The moved paid off immediately as the Suns racked up fouls and went into the penalty at the 9:18 mark.

A 19-4 run powered by Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle O’Quinn got New York a 95-91 lead. Then Baker showed his rookie decision-making. He blew a layup, made a bad pass for a turnover, and made an ill-advised one on one move to the basket. By the time he was pulled at the 1:40 mark, the game was tied.

MELO AND JENNINGS: I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed with these two. Melo was a horrific 3/15 (13 points). We saw the worst of Melo from airballs to getting stuffed at the rim by a guard in Devin Booker. With Jennings, he was a virtual turnstile on defense, allowing Bledsoe (31 points) to get to the rim at will. This resulted in KP fouling out and Bledsoe hitting the go-ahead OT jumper that sealed it.

KP and O’QUINN COULDN’T DO IT ALONE: These two nearly won the game. Porzingis had one of his best games — 34 points, 8 boards, 3 steals and 3 blocks. O’Quinn added 22 points and 14 boards. A key mistake from Hornacek was pulling Kyle in the fourth to get Melo back in during crunch time. That allowed Tyson Chandler (13 points, 23 rebounds) to crash the boards for second chance opportunities.

Let this be the game that’s a sobering reminder that we have a lot of work ahead. A good team has no business going life and death with the Phoenix Suns.

Porzingis and Rose Dominate Lakers, Knicks Win 118-112

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

Make that 4 straight on the road. Kristaps Porzingis poured in 26 points while Derrick Rose chipped in 25 to lead New York over the Los Angeles Lakers.

I was worried about this game. Despite L.A. being on a five game losing streak, the three-point shot is their bread n’ butter via gunners Lou Williams and Nick Young. With New York’s sub par perimeter defense, this could have easily been a trap game. But the Knicks got contributions from every player, most notably a huge bench spark from Brandon Jennings to finally pull away in the fourth.

A RESTED AND DEADLY ROSE: Missing two games with back spasms appears to have put Rose back into MVP form. His mid-range floaters were unguardable as he stormed out to a 10 point first quarter. Yes, he only had two assists. But when you’re scorching from the field (12/16), no one will complain. It was fitting that a Rose bucket iced the game.

https://youtu.be/3XX-4Tov5Ts

A MONSTER ON BOTH ENDS: I think it’s safe to say Porzingis’ shooting slump is over. The “unicorn” wreaked havoc on the defensive by altering countless shots and serving 7 blocks. The paint was effectively closed, taking away much of Julius Randle’s effectiveness and forcing the Laker guards into long three pointers during the fourth.

How dominant was Porzingis? He is the first Knick since Patrick Ewing in 1997 to have 26 points, 12 boards and 7 blocks. KP was 8/15 from the field, including 3/4 from downtown. Not to mention, 7/9 from the free throw line.

https://youtu.be/GAScDa6ycRs

JENNINGS’ 1ST WIN AT STAPLES: It’s hard to believe, but before tonight Brandon Jennings (19 points) had never won a game at Staples Center. That might account for his determination when the Knicks gave up a 12-2 run to start the fourth and fell behind 86-87. Melo, who finished 4/16 from the field, couldn’t buy a bucket. The Knicks needed a spark and Jennings obliged with back to back treys and a beautiful fast break with Courtney Lee for a three-point play. Although the Lakers remained competitive, they never regained any momentum.

TEAM EFFORT: 118 points, which equals a season high, is very impressive considering Melo only had 13 points. With Kyle O’Quinn out with a sprained ankle, Willy Hernangomez stepped up huge with 6 points and 12 boards. Courtney Lee added 16 points (3/4 from downtown), and Justin Holiday had 9 points.

Melo’s shot wasn’t there, but he still proved valuable in his 38 minutes. He delivered a season-high 7 assists, grabbed 8 boards, and gave the Knicks some breathing room with a bassline jumper over Luol Deng in crunch time.

The Knicks look to make it 3-0 on this West Coast swing against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

https://youtu.be/xxnSoXJHjqA

Unnecessary Drama: Knicks Blow 20-Point Lead, Hold Off Kings 106-98

Photo Credit: USA Today Images

Tell me if you’ve heard this story before. The Knicks play well. The Knicks get a big lead. The Knicks then decide to stop playing defense. Said Knicks play a life and death fourth quarter to either win close or lose a heart-breaker. Thankfully tonight was the former, as the Knicks blew a 20-point third quarter lead but held on for a 106-98 win at Madison Square Garden.

A loss to the Sacramento Kings is unacceptable under any circumstances. And despite a bad shooting night from Kristaps Porzingis, the scoring and play-making slack was picked up by Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony and a season-high 19 points from Brandon Jennings.

SLOW BUILD: Early in the first quarter, the Knicks were going through the motions. KP was 0/4, and lackadaisical defense had the Knicks in the penalty with 7:49 remaining. Then Derrick Rose took over with 10 points and 4 assists in the quarter to push New York to a 26-21 lead. The advantage ballooned to as much as 21 in the second quarter before the Knicks settled on a 55-41 halftime lead.

CONSEQUENCES FOR LAZY PLAY: It looked like the Knicks might finally get an easy night when they went up 70-50 early in the third. But right on cue, the Knicks stopped playing defense, particularly from the three-point line where DeMarcus Cousins burned them repeatedly. At one point, the Kings were on a 16-0 run in just over three minutes. The Knicks spent this stretch complaining about foul calls and turning the ball over.

JENNINGS SAVES THE DAY: Tonight we needed his offense and BJ was up to the challenge. He hit a jumper at the end of the third to stop the Kings momentum and goaded Willie Cauly-Stein into a foul on a three-pointer. Jennings attacked the basket for a few timely layups and remained a fourth quarter threat from long-range. His offense powered a bench that scored 44 points.

Ironically, Jennings’ best shot of the evening didn’t count. Check out this 70-foot heave.

PORZINGIS IMPACTS ON THE DEFENSIVE END: KP never seemed to get going. Cousins was physical with him early and that set the tone for a long night on the offensive end (6/18). However, Porzingis worked hard on the defensive end with 14 rebounds, and closed down the paint with 4 blocks. One of them was a crucial rejection in the fourth that lead to a Jennings layup and a 92-85 lead.

ROSE and MELO: D-Rose had a few too many reckless plays (4 turnovers), but as usual his attacking style paid off with free throws in the fourth. He simmered down from a hot 10-point first quarter, but remained a versatile contributor with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Melo took 20 shots, but the iso plays were limited. Not a single boo was heard and he even ended the Kings comeback chances with a circus shot layup over Cousins to make it 103-96 with less than a minute remaining.

https://youtu.be/VGOQGxDSOp4

BENCH WORK: Lance Thomas hit two open threes off kick-out passes. With this team, it’s looking like his role should be a “3 and D” guy. Willy Hernangomez had a nifty fake-out spin in the post that makes me think he’s been watching Hakeem Olajuwon tapes. Kyle O’Quinn continued his good play as of late — 4 points, 9 rebounds in 14 minutes.

NOAH: In 25 minutes, Joakim Noah managed 2 points and 5 rebounds. It was his first game back so I’ll cut him some slack, but we need him to get it together. If not, it’ll hard to justify his starting spot not matter the contract.

https://youtu.be/Bqxl6Yt-o4I

Karl Anthony Towns Drops 45 Points, But Melo Nails Game-Winner in 106-104 Win

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

When Karl Anthony Towns hit his first nine shots and scored 22 points in the first quarter, the Knicks knew they were in for a long night. But a timely Carmelo Anthony mid-range jumper with 2.3 seconds left was enough for the Knicks to hold off a 21-3 run from the Timberwolves to take a 106-104 win and get back to .500.

THE GOOD: The Knicks had stretches of excellent ball movement. They started off with every Knick getting an assist in the opening minutes and hitting their outside shots. Brandon Jennings (12 points, 7 assists, 2 steals) was our biggest spark in getting open looks for Porzingis (29 points, 8 rebounds) and Kuzmiskas (14 points, career-high). The team had 24 assists and looked primed for an easy win with a 17 point lead and 7 minutes remaining.

THE BAD: The Knicks also showed their bipolar tendencies by literally collapsing in the last six minutes and allowing the Wolves to go on a game-tying 21-3 run. The Knicks let Karl Anthony Towns live at the line while stopping the clock, didn’t secure loose balls, and gave up open shots. Worse yet, the Knicks stopped attacking and everyone looked scared to shoot, resulting in poor possessions and spacing.

THE UGLY: How bad was the free throw disparity? The Wolves had 39 attempts compared to New York’s 15. Towns had 20 attempts by himself. Speaking of Towns, the man hit a career-high with 47 points, and added 18 rebounds and 3 blocks. Luckily for the Knicks, they outscored the weak Wolves’s weak bench 43-5 to get some breathing after being down 31-28 after the first quarter.

REDEMPTION: Melo only took his first shot with 2 minutes remaining in the first quarter. He was clearly trying to be a faccillitator, and perhaps that was spurred by the boos he heard in Monday’s loss to the Thunder. In the second half, his shot wasn’t there and he ended up shooting a poor 5/16 from the field and was a -17. Nonetheless, Melo reminded us of his clutch gene on that game-winner over Andrew Wiggins.

Let’s be happy we only have to see Towns one more time on Friday.

[Video] Porzingis Adds 31, Rose’s Late Heroics Down Blazers 107-103

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

In years past, a poor shooting performance from Carmelo Anthony was guaranteed to end with a Knicks defeat. In the present, that won’t happen if Derrick Rose (18 points, 5 assists) and Kristaps Porzingis (31 points, 9 rebounds) have anything to say about it. The pair combined for 49 points, including a timely Rose jumper with 6.8 seconds left to seal the Knicks’ fifth straight win at Madison Square Garden.

FENDING OFF A HUNGRY TEAM: The Blazers destroyed the Nets a few nights ago and picked up right where they left off. They went 4/5 from three-point land in the first quarter and had the Knicks scrambling to keep up on pick n’ rolls. New York managed to keep it close and found themselves down by only five (33-28) headed into the second.

JENNINGS THE X-FACTOR: Brandon Jennings might be the best $5 million the Knicks have spent in a long time. With the first unit offense lethargic, he came in pushing the ball and attacking Portland’s star backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. He opened up the floor with 4 first half assists that lead to the bench pouring in 17 points by halftime to give the Knicks a 60-58 edge.

Cramps would keep Jennings from playing in the fourth, but he still managed 11 assists in 22 minutes.

KUZMISKAS STEPS UP: With Jennings out, Kuzmiskas picked up the slack with 10 points. He hit a crucial three-pointer late in the fourth and had a great drive for a layup. He kept the floor spaced just by being a scoring threat.

UNSUNG HEROES: Courtney Lee, Willy Hernangomez and Justin Holiday don’t have numbers that’ll jump out at you, but all three worked hard defensively. There was one great sequence where Lee completely shut down the driving lanes on McCollum and forced him into a well-contested jumper that elicited cheers from the Garden faithful.

MELO’S SCORELESS 4TH OVERSHADOWS OTHER GREAT PLAY: With KP hitting half his shots in the fourth, the crowd was in a frenzy to get the ball to him on every play. Unfortunately, the frenetic play had him winded and Melo tried to pick up the slack on a few iso plays that went nowhere. The crowd jeered their disapproval.

It’s unfortunate that we’re going to read a few articles tomorrow about how Melo needs to play “in the flow” of the offense and now about how his fourth quarter defense and rebounding was a key factor in this win.

It’s unfortunate that we’re going to read a few articles tomorrow about how Melo needs to play “in the flow” of the offense and not about how his fourth quarter defense and rebounding was a key factor in this win. He tipped out two offensive rebounds for extra possessions in the final two minutes and also helped force a turnover on Evan Turner. In addition, his late screen for Rose helped the speedy point guard score a layup to put New York in front for good 102-101. Melo’s 7-22 shooting was ugly, but he locked in where it was needed to grind out this win.

We’re at .500! The Knicks will look to improve on that record this Friday when they face the Charlotte Hornets.

https://youtu.be/yKGwCGBc7pg

[Video] Crappy Effort: Wizards Torch Lethargic Knicks from Three-Point Arc

Photo Credit: USA Today

What a crap performance. There isn’t a better way to describe our last outing in D.C. against the Wizards. After coming off Kristaps Porzingis scoring a career high 35 points, everyone was optimistic that the team may have turned the corner. Instead we got a lethargic team in the second night of a back to back that allowed one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league to torch them for 45 points from downtown (15/25, 60%) and shoot 54% from the field.

The Knicks staged a faux pas comeback in the fourth after falling behind nearly 30 points, but New York would get no closer that seven points down the stretch. If you’re looking for bright spots, you can hope Derrick Rose (27 points, 3/5 from three) and Brandon Jennings (17 points, 7/10, +19) continue the improved shooting.

It bears repeating — this team will only go as far as their ability on defense, particularly when it comes to guarding the three-point line.

Things will get no easier to close November as New York has Atlanta, Portland, Charlotte (2X), Oklahoma City and Minnesota over the next two weeks.

https://youtu.be/vMVGqGKBJIA

[Video] Porzingis Drops Career-High 35 Points in Close Win Over Pistons

We are privileged to watch the growth of a future superstar. Kristaps Porzingis delivered a career-high 35 points to lead the Knicks to a close 105-102 win over the Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Despite a focused game, the scrappy Pistons made sure the Knicks worked for this win until the final buzzer.

FEED THE BEAST: Melo said before the season that he’s never played with a weapon like Derrick Rose. That applies even more so to Porzingis, who feasted to a 25 point first half and truly showed how versatile (and scary) his game is. He worked unblockable fadeaways in the post, ran the floor for contested layups on fast breaks, and burned Detroit for three three-pointers. He shot 13/22 from the field and managed to get to the line seven times.

I said earlier in the week that Porzingis can take the reins at the #1 option in 2-3 years. But if he keeps up this pace, we might have a changing of the guard by next year.

MELO’S NOT TOO SHABBY: All the attention on KP should not negate another efficient game from Carmelo Anthony: 22 points (13/22), 5 rebounds and 3 assists. For this team to work, both guys need to continue being the one-two punch on scoring.

IMPROVED DEFENSE: We’re still a work in progress, but the last two games have shown some marked improvements. The Knicks are playing defense with their legs and stayed in front of their assignments. The Pistons were held to 12 free throw attempts compared to 19 for the Knicks. Joakim Noah’s (7 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks) defense, particularly in the first half on Andre Drummond, proved very effective. Drummond was contained to 15 points and 9 rebounds.

The glaring problem remains the three-point defense, which allowed Detroit to claw their way back in the fourth and nearly force overtime on the final play. Once that area gets under control, we’ll see a lot more easier wins.

SOLID BENCH PERFORMANCES: Justin Holiday (9 points, 5 rebounds) continued his solid play on both ends of the floor. Brandon Jennings was hot-dogging out there too much (got called for a carry), but his 7 assists keep the offense flowing in his 17 minutes. Kyle O’Quinn got the nod over Hernangomez and made the most of his 15 minutes. He tallied 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks (including one on Drummond) and 2 assists. Outside of KP, O’Quinn just might be our best post defender.

The Knicks complete their back to back tomorrow night in D.C. against the Wizards.

https://youtu.be/_pusAXJaBzA

[Video] A Lineup That Works: KP Thrives At the 5, Knicks Crush Mavs 93-77

Photo Credit: USA Today

NEW YORK — Coach Hornacek finally found a lineup that works. After a putrid first half where the Knicks managed only 36 points, Hornacek bench Joakim Noah and inserted Kristaps Porzingis at center, helping to ignite 30-12 third quarter that powered the Knicks to a much-needed 93-77 victory at Madison Square Garden. Will this lineup work every night? No, but it showed the unlimited potential of Porzingis when he doesn’t have to chase stretch 4s.

1st HALF SLEEPWALKING: With Dirk Nowitki and Deron Williams both out, you figured this would be an easy night for the Knicks. Instead they labored mightily on both ends. Harrison Barnes ran amuck for 16 first half points as Porzingis struggled to keep up with him off screens. Derrick Rose had to be benched with two fouls in the first. The Knicks trailed 23-15 after the opening quarter, shooting just 4/13 from the field. Melo was completely flat and shot 1-6 from the field.

The second unit, sporting Porzingis as the main offensive option, slowly got the Knicks back in it. KP had a sweet crossover and pullup jumper to get the Knicks within three (28-25). Nonetheless, the ball was sticking too much, and New York could only manage 5 assists and trailed 39-36 at the half.

EUREKA!: Hornacek hit pay dirt by sliding KP to center and inserting Justin Holiday in the starting lineup at power forward. Porzingis’ length and agility allowed him draw three fouls in the third on Andrew Bogut and force him to the bench with four fouls. And Holiday was able to not only keep up with Barnes, but get his own offense working via mid-range jumpers, cutting to the basket, and three pointers (16 points).

Everyone benefited from the floor spread. Melo looked like a new person out there, dropping a blistering 17 points in the third to push the Knicks to a double-digit lead going into the fourth.

OFFENSE AND DEFENSE: New York continued pouring it on the fourth. Melo and KP had their own scoring duel trading three-pointers. Porzingis also got busy in the post abusing smaller defenders and even paid homage to Dirk with a one-legged, turnaround bank shot. Melo and KP both finished with 24 points. Porzingis also added 11 rebounds.

More impressive than the offense was the defense. For the first time this season, the Knicks held an opponent under 80 points. There was no free throw disparity tonight — the Knicks made 16/18 free throws while holding the Mavs to 8/11 from the line.

Yes, we beat up on a depleted Mavs squad. But the Knicks had a continuity we haven’t seen since the Bulls win. They’ll need the same effort when we look for revenge on Wednesday against the Pistons.

[Video] Defense Loses Games: Knicks 107, Raptors 118

Photo Credit: USA Today

I couldn’t write about this game on Saturday because I was too pissed off. If there was ever a game that was an indictment on how bad our defense is, it would be this loss to the Raptors last Saturday.

If you would have told me going in that Carmelo Anthony would have 31 points with Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis adding 21 points apiece, I would have supreme confidence the Knicks would enjoy a blowout win.

Alas, you don’t get easy wins when you statistically have the worst defense in the league. The Knicks couldn’t defend the pick and roll in crunch time, allowing Kyle Lowry several clear drives to the rim to ice the game in the final minutes. Maybe it wouldn’t have gotten to that point if the Knicks could play defense without fouling — the Raptors got 38 free throw attempts to the Knicks’ 16. New York also allowed 20 points in transition.

The verdict is clear nine games into the season. If the Knicks can ever salvage themselves to play adequate defense, they make the playoffs with a decent seeding. If not, we’ll have another extremely disappointing year in the books.

https://youtu.be/qhszoE8d8kA

https://youtu.be/Pky6Zoc3TEc

https://youtu.be/AE6nBQdPhBg

https://youtu.be/yVBbC_iCVRw

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word:

Spread the Word: