The Knicks have themselves their best young player in many years. Kristaps Porzingis has been awesome this season. Here’s NY Newsday reporting:
Porzingis scored a career-best 40 points in Sunday’s come-from-behind victory over Indiana, the Knicks’ fifth in six games. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 33.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.25 blocks, and leading the Knicks to a 3-1 mark.
He’s second in the league in scoring (30.2 points), third in blocks (2.2), first in usage rate (35.5) and fifth in Player Efficiency Rating (28.6). That metric measures a player’s effectiveness per minute. To put it in perspective, only Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis have higher PERs.
Porzingis’ 272 points are the most ever by a Knick through the team’s first nine games of a season. He’s making an early case for the three individual honors he craves as well as MVP, and has the upstart Knicks (5-4) playing inspired basketball and believing they can make an unexpected playoff run.
And here’s the NY Daily News:
He is averaging over 30 points per game and the “M-V-P” chants are increasing in volume. Sunday night was probably the best performance of his career, and not just because of the points.
Porzingis also blocked six shots – including a crowd-rousing rejection on Lance Stephenson’s dunk attempt – and scored 15 consecutive Knick points in the fourth quarter. When the game appeared lost, Porzingis strapped on his cape and led the Knicks on a 34-11 run to close the comeback.
He was subbed out with 3.5 seconds remaining to a rousing ovation and even more “M-V-P” chants. The legend grows at the Garden.
