If the New York Knicks are going to make the most of the 2016-17 NBA regular season, then Kristaps Porzingis must become the focal point.
The New York Knicks may be falling further away from playoff contention, but if Kristaps Porzingis’ fourth quarter performances are any indication, this past weekend may represent a huge turn for the franchise.
In losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors, two teams on wildly separate stratospheres, the fourth quarters of those competitive games played out a bit differently. In the loss to the Sixers, the Knicks entered the fourth quarter with a lead, only to see it dwindle.
New York eventually lost it altogether after a last-second shot by a double-teamed Carmelo Anthony failed to go down. Lance Thomas’ follow suffered the same fate and Courtney Lee’s 3-ball couldn’t find the net.
New York fell 105-102 to a Sixers team that was without Joel Embiid.
In Sunday’s loss to the Warriors, the Knicks entered the fourth quarter within striking distance, but were ultimately overpowered by the defending Western Conference champions.
On the surface, both games equated to two losses that increased the Knicks’ lottery odds. If you look closely at the how those fourth quarters played out, however, something else was at play.
In the game against the Sixers, Porzingis was a relatively inactive part of the offense while on the floor. His four fourth-quarter shot attempts came early in the period, while Anthony’s five attempts came in the closing minutes.
Though Lee took the final shot, it was ‘Melo, on a cold shooting night, who tried to win the game himself by shooting over a stifling double-team instead of passing to a teammate for better shot.
In the fallout of how the game ended, Jeff Hornacek joined fans, and even MSG broadcasters, who questioned Anthony’s propensity for hero ball in a game that may have been the final nail in the coffin of the Knicks’ playoff hopes.
More and more, it seemed as though, by continuing to automatically give the ball to ‘Melo for the final shots, the Knicks’ unimaginative offense was solidifying itself as predictable and largely ineffective.
Two days later, the fourth quarter played out much differently. This time around, instead of holding a lead, the Knicks fought valiantly to chip away at a deficit. And this time around, it wasn’t ‘Melo leading the Knicks’s final charge.
It was Porzingis.
‘Melo was relatively quiet during the game and managed to only take a single shot in the entire quarter. As for Porzingis, he asserted himself on both ends of the floor and scored eight points on seven shots in the fourth quarter, including three in the final minute.
For those watching from afar, it almost seemed as if there was some kind of internal memo dictating a new direction.
With an eye towards the future, even scouts around the league are wondering why the Knicks haven’t made more of an effort to run the offense through the future face of the franchise.
Though both of the weekend games ended in losses, the Knicks looked invigorated by having players other than ‘Melo playing more pronounced roles in closing the game.
At this point in the year, it’s hard to defend having Anthony dominating the offense at the end of close games when younger players should be given their chance to prove themselves.
After all, this is the time of year when players are being evaluated closely by the front office in preparation for next season.
I’ve long been an advocate of the Knicks not settling for mediocrity. And frankly, though Porzingis’ scoring numbers are better than last year, this past season has done little for his development.
He continues to have trouble staying on the floor due to foul trouble and still needs to work on creating his own shots. Part of the reason why this second part is important is because the Knicks’ offense has done little but encourage an every man for themselves ethos.
That’s resulted in the future star having the third-highest usage percentage on the team at 24.2, behind Derrick Rose’s 25.8 and Anthony’s 29.6.
Must Read: Positive takeaways from the Golden State Warriors game
If the future of the New York Knicks is resting on Kristaps Porzingis’ shoulders, then the final weeks of the season should make it seem that way.