New York Knicks: Who stepped up against the Denver Nuggets?
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Over the course of the first three quarters, the New York Knicks were unable to trust Tim Hardaway Jr. for much of anything on offense. He defended well and did a decent job of creating for others, but was shooting 0-of-5 from the field.
Hardaway proceeded to dominate the fourth quarter on both ends of the floor, thus helping the Knicks survive a scare against the Denver Nuggets.
Tim Hardaway Jr. missed his first 5 shots tonight but has hit 4 of 5 shots in the fourth. His 11 points have helped NYK build 7-point lead.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) October 31, 2017
Hardaway scored all 13 of his points during the fourth quarter of New York’s narrow escape of the Nuggets. That includes a two-minute stretch during which he scored 11 consecutive points to help the Knicks combat Denver’s powerful run.
Hardaway also made what may have been the play of the game when he sprinted back on defense and made a clutch steal in transition—one of his three steals on the night.
The 13 fourth quarter points, including two late free throws, made it possible for the Knicks to win the game. The steal prevented the Nuggets from scoring an all but guaranteed two points, which would have cut New York’s lead to two points with less than 30 seconds on the clock.
That sequence of stealing the ball and burying two free throws proved to be the difference between victory and defeat—and that solidified his place on this list.