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New York Knicks: Who stepped up against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 13?

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 13: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Enes Kanter #00 of the New York Knicks exchange words in the first half at Madison Square Garden on November 13, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 13: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Enes Kanter #00 of the New York Knicks exchange words in the first half at Madison Square Garden on November 13, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 13: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 13, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 13: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 13, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Frank Ntilikina

With LeBron James seemingly determined to punk Frank Ntilikina, the rookie refused to back down. He didn’t have his best game of the season, but his toughness and determination were invigorating strengths against the Cavaliers.

Between his outstanding defense and the already (Twitter) iconic sequence between he and James, Ntilikina was one of the undeniable stars of the game.

Ntilikina played 24 minutes against the Cavaliers, posting seven points, three rebounds, two assists, and an incredible six steals. He shot 2-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line, including two clutch free throws during the fourth quarter.

All eyes were on Ntilikina when the Knicks played the best player in the NBA, and he didn’t back down from the challenge put in front of him.

Offensively, Ntilikina scored at a respectable enough rate, and made it his focus to get to the rim. He played phenomenal defense throughout the encounter, matching up against virtually every perimeter player who took the court.

For a rookie who’s now just 11 games into his NBA career, Ntilikina continues to show remarkable poise and maturity for a player of his inexperience.

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