New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The Atlanta Hawks?

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Nov 20, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn (9) shoots between Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard (8) and forward Mike Muscala (31) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

Kyle O’Quinn

Early foul trouble stunted the in-game development of Kyle O’Quinn as an impact player for the New York Knicks. Nevertheless, he found a way to set the tone for the Knicks’ outstanding showing in the first half.

With Joakim Noah out due to an illness, O’Quinn took it upon himself to get physical with the Atlanta Hawks’ big men and step up on the boards.

O’Quinn finished with eight points, eight rebounds, four offensive boards, and one block in 17 high-quality minutes of relief for Noah. He shot 4-of-5 from the field and posted a +/- of +12 for the home team.

O’Quinn’s inconsistency has been disappointing during his Knicks career, but he has performances like this in him.

O’Quinn has proven capable of rebounding, scoring, and defending at a high level when he’s motivated to do so. That’s been the question throughout his career, however, which is why it’s such a big deal when he shows up.

Here’s hoping O’Quinn will be this type of player throughout the rest of the 2016-17 NBA regular season.

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