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New York Knicks: Ranking Kristaps Porzingis’ best games from 2017

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 5: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks celebrates a win against the Indiana Pacers on November 5, 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 5: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks celebrates a win against the Indiana Pacers on November 5, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 30: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks shoots over DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a NBA game at the Smoothie King Center on December 30, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 30: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks shoots over DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a NBA game at the Smoothie King Center on December 30, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

5. Saving The Day

Call me a prisoner of the moment, if you will, but this was the most franchise player of games imaginable. With the New York Knicks in danger of entering 2018 two games below .500 and on a five-game losing streak, Kristaps Porzingis stepped up in a superstar-caliber way.

Matched up against the best power forward and center in the NBA, Porzingis went off with a clutch performance that may have saved New York’s season.

Matched up against the likes of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, Porzingis took over when it mattered most. He finished with 30 points, seven rebounds, two offensive boards, three assists, two blocks, and a steal in 32 minutes of action.

Porzingis shot 11-of-22 from the field, 1-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-8 from the free throw line, but the numbers don’t do his showing justice.

Every punch New York threw at New Orleans was answered with a haymaker, thus resulting in a five-point deficit with less than four minutes on the clock. Porzingis scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, including nine points during the final three minutes and 38 seconds alone.

By cutting into the deficit, tying the game, and hitting the game-winner, Porzingis saved the Knicks from a five-game losing streak and returned their record to .500.

Clutch in every way.