New York Knicks: Who stepped up during 118-91 win over Sacramento Kings?
Kristaps Porzingis
It didn’t take very long at all for New York Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis to impose his will on the 118-91 victory over the Sacramento Kings. He scored 24 points in the first half, including 16 during the first quarter alone.
Porzingis has been recording 30-point games at virtual will, and the encounter with Sacramento was no exception whatsoever.
Porzingis checked out before the third quarter ended, but that didn’t stop him from stuffing the stat sheet. He scored 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field, 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, and an 8-of-9 mark from the free throw line.
Porzingis added five rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocks, and amassed a game-best +/- of +31 in just 27 minutes of court time.
It’s far too early to think about awards, but Porzingis is off to a historic start to the 2017-18 regular season. He’s now averaging 30.4 points per game, which ranks No. 2 in the NBA and is coupled with the fact that New York is 7-5 through 12 outings.
If the Knicks continue to win and Porzingis maintains an elite level of production, an All-NBA selection would be all but inevitable.
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The New York Knicks have a chance to turn the 2017-18 campaign into something special. Wins like this offer remarkable signs of progress.