Kristaps Porzingis
The New York Knicks have been able to depend on Kristaps Porzingis to provide the offense with consistent production. He’s scoring from all over the court, including a remarkable proficiency from 3-point range.
Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Porzingis got it done on both ends of the floor as he further established his status as a future All-Star.
Porzingis did a bit of everything against Oklahoma City with 21 points, five rebounds, one offensive board, two assists, five blocks, and two steals in 39 minutes. He shot 9-of-20 from the field and went 3-of-6 from beyond the arc in yet another grand display of his 3-point range.
Porzingis has been superb on offense throughout the 2016-17 season, but this was a necessary performance from a defensive perspective.
The Knicks’ defense has been erratic, at best, which makes the re-emergence of Porzingis as a shot-blocker quite significant. New York has struggled to prevent penetration and has been bullied on the boards on far too many occasions.
If Porzingis can redirect shots and become the deterrent he’s capable of being, however, the tide could turn sooner than later.