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New York Knicks: 5 reasons Kristaps Porzingis will be an All-Star in 2017-18

By Maxwell Ogden

TARRYTOWN, NY - September 25: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait during Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Knicks Practice Center in Tarrytown, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - September 25: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait during Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Knicks Practice Center in Tarrytown, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 17: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks blocks a shot by Jordan Mickey #55 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at TD Garden on October 17, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 17: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks blocks a shot by Jordan Mickey #55 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at TD Garden on October 17, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

2. Defensive Contributions

Head coach Jeff Hornacek, president Steve Mills, and general manager Scott Perry share a vision for the New York Knicks. Although each may have their own ideas of what it will take to turn the franchise around, all have harped on the same principle: Commitment to defense.

Kristaps Porzingis still has areas in which he must improve, but even on one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, he’s managed to stand out as a high-quality defender.

Despite playing for one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, Porzingis tested well in the advanced metrics. He produced a positive Defensive Real Plus-Minus at 1.90, which was quite easily the best mark accumulated by any player on the Knicks.

It’s also worth noting that New York recorded Defensive Ratings of 107.7 with Porzingis on the court and 110.0 without him—the latter of which was the second-worst mark on the team.

Furthermore, Porzingis ranked No. 5 in the NBA in blocks per game in 2016-17 and No. 8 in 2015-16. Perhaps more importantly, opponents shot just 44.2 percent when Porzingis met them at the rim—the fourth-best mark produced by any defensive player in the Association.

If Porzingis’ individual brilliance on defense translates to improved execution from a team perspective, the All-Star Game will border on being an inevitability.

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