New York Knicks: Who stepped up against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 21?

Jarrett Jack

The second half belonged to the reserves, but it was the veteran starters who paced the New York Knicks through the first two quarters. It was then that the Knicks built a 44-40 lead entering the second half, and thus, enabled the second unit to close out the victory.

One of the players who contributed most to that success was point guard Jarrett Jack, who continued to pace New York’s efforts on both ends of the floor.

Statistically, Jack recorded 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 23 minutes of court time. He shot 5-of-10 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line in what was an invaluable scoring performance from the pass-first point guard.

Without Jack’s ability to put efficient points on the board, the first half would have looked entirely different—and the reserves wouldn’t have been given a game to win.

The balance that New York struck against Boston is exactly what head coach Jeff Hornacek has been seeking. It was the veteran who helped the Knicks develop a good rhythm in the first half, and then the rookie who closed out the win.

Vocal on defense and poised on offense, Jack’s veteran leadership is proving invaluable both on and off the court during the 2017-18 season.