With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, the supporting cast had a chance to establish themselves. Who stepped up for the New York Knicks against the Orlando Magic?
Over the course of the first 10 games of the 2017-18 NBA regular season, Kristaps Porzingis has played at a superstar-caliber level. Entering Wednesday, Nov. 8, he ranked No. 2 in the NBA in points per game, No. 3 in blocks per game, and had led the New York Knicks to a 6-4 record.
On Nov. 8, however, New York was forced to play without its franchise player during a road game against the Orlando Magic—a game that ended with a 112-99 Knicks loss.
A loss is rarely ideal, but New York remains above .500 at 6-5.
New York dished out 26 assists, but its undoing was its inability to take care of the ball. It committed 23 turnovers, thus gifting the Magic additional opportunities to put points on the board—a mistake that a Porzingis-less Knick team could ill afford to make.
With Porzingis sidelined by a sprained ankle and an elbow contusion, however, the Knicks received something of a blessing in disguise.
New York’s supporting cast became featured players, as Jeff Hornacek stayed true to his usual rotation for a vast majority of the game. That provided a platform for statements to be made and opportunities to be capitalized on.
With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, a number of New York Knicks players turned in quality performances against the Orlando Magic. Who were they?
Tim Hardaway Jr.
With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, the New York Knicks turned to Tim Hardaway Jr. for production on offense. Hardaway pulled his weight, providing the expected level of production as a scorer and surprising value on the boards.
It was a difficult night for the Knicks to push through, but matched up against a productive perimeter, Hardaway stepped up with a big performance.
Hardaway finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds—good for his first career double-double. He overcame his recent shooting woes to convert at a rate of 11-of-21 from the field and 3-of-3 at the free throw line, thus turning in one of his most efficient performances to date.
Hardaway continues to struggle from beyond the arc, but his 1-of-5 showing from distance isn’t exactly cause for concern after he played as well as he did.
Since starting the regular season with four inefficient performances, Hardaway has turned things around in an under-appreciated manner. In the seven games since, he’s averaging 21.7 points on an efficient slash line of .473/.350/.793.
There’s still an element of streakiness to his game, but Hardaway isn’t receiving enough credit for how well he’s turned this season around.
Willy Hernangomez
With the New York Knicks trailing deep into the fourth quarter, Willy Hernangomez received a rare opportunity to play. He took advantage of his chance to get on the court, as he scored at virtual will against the Orlando Magic.
It wasn’t the most extensive appearance of his career, but Hernangomez played with a sense of urgency as he attempted to convince the coaching staff to give him more minutes.
Hernangomez played just eight minutes against the Magic, but he made the most of his time on the court. He posted a matching eight points, as well as three offensive rebounds, on an efficient shooting mark of 4-of-6 from the field.
It was far from a flawless performance, but Hernangomez entered the game and played with the type of energy that made him a fan favorite in 2017-18.
In a game during which Enes Kanter struggled to remain on the court, Hernangomez made a statement. This game alone won’t guarantee him minutes, but it was a step in the right direction for the second-year center.
The result could have been better for the Knicks, but seeing Hernangomez on the court was a silver lining in every sense of the phrase.
Doug McDermott
For a second consecutive game, Doug McDermott put forth a strong performance off the bench. He’s shooting with confidence, working well without the ball, and playing solid defense within the structure of the scheme.
McDermott is attempting to prove himself worthy of a long-term contract, and he’s beginning to look the part of a significant long-term asset.
Fresh off of scoring 20 points against the Charlotte Hornets, McDermott received 30 minutes of playing time. During his time on the court, he posted 13 points, two rebounds, and an assist on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and a 3-of-4 showing from beyond the arc.
Coupled with the fact that he accumulated a +/- of +8 in a 13-point loss, McDermott clearly made a positive impact on the game.
Through 11 games, the New York Knicks are 4.1 points per 100 possessions better when McDermott is on the floor. He’s not only shooting the lights out, but has been a surprisingly committed player on the defensive end of the floor.
It’s early, but if McDermott can maintain this level of production, efficiency, and overall value, the Knicks will likely re-sign him come 2018.
Frank Ntilikina
The New York Knicks have trusted Frank Ntilikina to provide immediate contributions during his rookie season. Matched up against an Orlando Magic team that was scoring in bunches, Ntilikina continued to establish himself as a promising young facilitator.
A rookie season is all about taking your lumps and learning from your experiences, and Ntilikina continued to do exactly that against Orlando.
Ntilikina played 23 minutes against the Magic, recording six points, nine assists, four rebounds, one block, and a steal. He shot 3-of-7 from the field, committed just two turnovers, and pulled down an offensive rebound along the way.
Ntilikina has a tendency to pass up a good shot for an opportunity at an assist, but he’s become one of the better facilitators to emerge from his draft class.
Ntilikina has dished out at least seven assists in four of his past five appearances. The nine assists are his new career-high, but at the rate he’s playing and producing, that’s a personal record that’s likely going to fall by the end of the 2017-18 season.
For what it’s worth: Through 11 games, the Knicks have net ratings of +4.8 with Ntilikina on the court and -6.0 when he isn’t—a difference of 10.8 points per 100 possessions.
Kyle O’Quinn
It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to state that Kyle O’Quinn has become the heart and soul of the New York Knicks. Between his infectious tenacity on the court and his explosive displays of excitement when he’s cheering his teammates on from the bench, O’Quinn is New York’s primary source of energy.
Against the Orlando Magic, O’Quinn stepped up with yet another quality all-around performance that positively influenced the outcome of the game.
O’Quinn played 20 minutes against the Magic, tallying eight points, four rebounds, four assists, one offensive board, and a steal. He continued to create for others offensively, and maintained his excellent pace as a rebounder.
It’s also worth noting that O’Quinn amassed a +/- of +6 during a 13-point loss—a strong indication of his consistently positive impact.
A Queens native, O’Quinn has been the epitome of reliability for the Knicks during the 2017-18 campaign. He brings the energy on both ends of the floor, which has helped set the tone for an overachieving second unit.
11 games in, the Knicks have net ratings of +3.5 with O’Quinn on the court and -5.6 without him—a difference of 9.1 points per 100 possessions.
Must Read: Kristaps Porzingis values wins over statistics
The New York Knicks may have lost to the Orlando Magic, but a number of vital players capitalized on this unique opportunity to build confidence for when Kristaps Porzingis returns.