New York Knicks: What We Learned From Five-Game Road Trip

1. Carmelo Anthony Is Still The Key

Many New York Knicks fans have called for Kristaps Porzingis to be thrown to the wolves as the No. 1 scoring option. Porzingis certainly has the skill set to thrive in that capacity, but this road trip proved that he’s still learning the intricacies of the NBA.

No matter how excited you may be about Porzingis’ upside, there’s one reality that every Knicks fan needs to accept: Anthony is still the key to the Knicks’ postseason aspirations.

Anthony’s performance against Denver was a sign of him understanding that the process is more important than individual results. He could’ve dominated by controlling the ball, but he remained true to the long-term vision by scoring his 29 points within the flow of the offense.

New York will reach a point where Anthony can go off again, but until team chemistry has been solidified on offense, No. 7’s team play in games like this will be critical.

As for Porzingis, he appears to be perfectly suited for the role of the No. 2 scoring option. He’ll get to the point of being able to fill the shoes of a No. 1, but he himself acknowledged that it’s a different game when the entire defense is focused on what he’s doing.

Anthony relieves pressure from his teammates and is directly responsible for how well the offense flows.

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2-3 isn’t disastrous for a five-game road trip, but New York will need to take advantage of the fact its next three games will be played at Madison Square Garden.