New York Knicks: Who stepped up against the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 14?

Michael Beasley

When Kristaps Porzingis went down with a non-contact knee injury in the third quarter, Michael Beasley took over. He immediately filled the scoring void in an admirable enough manner to help keep the ship afloat during what could have been an implosion.

There’s obvious reason for concern with Porzingis, but Beasley continued to establish himself as a high-quality scoring threat off the bench.

Beasley finished with 15 points, four rebounds, one assist, and a steal in just 20 minutes of court time. He shot 7-of-16 from the field and 1-of-2 from the free throw line in his second consecutive game with double-digit scoring numbers.

More important than the bare numbers, however, is the fact that Beasley’s contributions were provided during the most important of moments.

Beasley entered the game for Porzingis at the 9:25 mark of the third quarter, and immediately took over as a scorer. He scored 11 points during the third period alone, thus enabling the Knicks to endure a 32-point quarter from the Brooklyn Nets.

If the Knicks are without Porzingis for any portion of time, Beasley should at least be able to shoulder some of the scoring load.