New York Knicks: Players Who Need To Step Their Preseason Game Up
Joakim Noah*
Position: Center
Age: 31 (2/25/1985)
Experience: 10th NBA Season
2015-16 Slash Line: .383/.000/.489
2015-16 Season Averages: 21.9 MPG, 4.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 3.0 ORPG, 3.8 APG, 1.0 BPG, 0.6 SPG
An asterisk exists because Joakim Noah hasn’t yet played a game of preseason basketball. He’s been sidelined by a hamstring injury, which has thus changed the way the New York Knicks are playing.
Thus, Noah’s inclusion on this list isn’t an attempt to rush him back; it’s an attempt to convince him to take his time in returning to the court.
If Noah has to miss the entire preseason to get his hamstring back to 100 percent, then so be it. Coming back at even 95 percent would be a risk when such a large percentage of the Knicks’ postseason aspiration are resting on his presence.
If Noah is active for 65-plus regular season games and no preseason games, then that’d still be a win for New York.
Having established this, a healthy Noah can only benefit from taking the court during the preseason. He hasn’t played an NBA game since January 15, 2016, when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
For what it’s worth, Noah recorded six points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and a steal the game before his injury. He’s still got it.