New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The San Antonio Spurs?

Derrick Rose

When the New York Knicks traded for point guard Derrick Rose, the goal was to acquire a player who could consistently create penetration. The inability to do so was a primary reason why New York’s offense struggled as a whole in 2015-16.

Rose has excelled at getting to the basket in 2016-17, and against the San Antonio Spurs, his ability to do so helped fuel New York’s victory.

Rose finished with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block in 30 pivotal minutes for the Knicks. He shot 6-of-11 from the field, which included a continued improvement from midrange and a number of gorgeous finishes at the rim.

Rose, who remains the only player on the Knicks who can consistently beat his man off the dribble and get to the iron, also hit a pair of clutch free throws in a four-point win.

One could conceivably point to Rose’s ratio to two assists to three turnovers, but New York wouldn’t have won this game without him. It scored 26 points in the paint as a team and Rose scored eight himself.

Rose will need to improve as a facilitator for the Knicks to realize their potential, but his development as a scorer has been fun to watch in 2016-17.

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The New York Knicks are now 23-33 and in line for a turnaround after a galvanizing 94-90 upset of the San Antonio Spurs.