Before his injury, Kristaps Porzingis provided standout games for the New York Knicks.
As of February 2018, the New York Knicks have played without Kristaps Porzingis, due to a torn ACL. It removed him for the rest of 2017-18 and the first 15 games of 2018-19. There remains no timetable for his return.
Porzingis recently spoke on his rehab, but offered little insight into potentially coming back before the season ends or October 2019.
It’s easy to forget what Porzingis did when healthy. Already approaching a full year since the injury, he once ruled the court for the Knicks and already broke out as their franchise player. This was, of course, stunted.
Positive memories exist for what Porzingis did in his first186 games as a Knick, however. His work at both ends of the floor often led the team, and it gave him these games that stood above the pack:
5. 32 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks vs. Cavaliers: Oct. 29, 2017
The New York Knicks, long before the knee injury, flashed the makings of a rising team in the NBA. They went 8-7 to open the season, which didn’t stand out, but provided hope in the post-Carmelo Anthony era.
Kristaps Porzingis was handed the keys to the Knicks, and he took flight immediately. One of his early showcase games transpired on Oct. 29, 2017, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It was just the fifth game of the season, and Porzingis had already scored 30-plus points in three of the previous four matchups. The future was bright for the Knicks, and it seemed their star was in place.
To top those 30-point performances, Porzingis showed off for 32 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two three-pointers to top LeBron James‘ Cavaliers, 114-95. He also shot 13-for-27.
This wasn’t New York’s greatest individual performance that night, either, as Tim Hardaway Jr. went off for 34 points on just19 shots.
Porzingis dominated Cleveland’s interior defense — attacking the likes of Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Jeff Green. No one could stop him, and it led to a wire-to-wire domination.
This was one of Porzingis’ 11 30-point games of 2017-18. He played like an All-Star, which made the February injury even more disappointing.
Though, this night was hardly his best performance of that season.