New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The Sacramento Kings?

Justin Holiday

Justin Holiday has made his role with the New York Knicks abundantly clear to those who have watched him play. He isn’t one of the go-to scorers or playmakers, nor is he necessarily a lockdown defender.

What Holiday is to the Knicks is what every coach dreams of having: a player who will simply be there when something needs to be done.

Holiday recorded seven points, three rebounds, one offensive board, and an assist in his 15 minutes of action. He shot 3-of-6 from the field and 1-of-2 from 3-point range, with the latter mark helping the most.

With 4:00 on the clock and the Knicks trailing by two on the road, Holiday calmly converted a clutch 3-point field goal to give New York a 95-94 lead.

That shot embodied what Holiday is to the Knicks and how valuable he is to Jeff Hornacek’s rotations. He’s relentless on defense and as a rebounder, and has an uncanny ability to make the right play when it needs to be made.

Holiday’s numbers didn’t jump off of the page, but he’s one of the primary reasons this game went from the Carmelo Anthony show to a team effort.