New York Knicks: Who stepped up against New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 30?

Kristaps Porzingis

The New York Knicks needed to bounce back as a team, and the same could be said about Kristaps Porzingis individually. He entered the clash with the New Orleans Pelicans in something of a rut, as he’d been shooting 40.2 percent from the field during the month of December.

Matched up against the best power forward in the NBA, Porzingis took over in the clutch and put forth one of the best performances of his career thus far.

Porzingis was absolutely sensational, torching Anthony Davis and the Pelicans for 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field. He added seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a pair of steals in a well-rounded and downright unforgettable performance.

With New York in danger of entering 2018 on a five-game losing streak, Porzingis out-dueled an All-NBA First Team honoree with the game on the line.

Porzingis scored 11 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. That includes a 7-0 individual run during the final minute-and-a-half of the game, during which he fearlessly buried a three-point field goal after missing his first four attempts.

Porzingis cut the lead from five to two, tied the game with just over a minute remaining, and gave the Knicks the lead—and still found time to record a clutch block in the midst of it all.

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The New York Knicks entered Dec. 30 in danger of falling into a downward spiral. It will enter 2018 with a chance to control its own destiny.