Category: New York Knicks Blog

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the most intriguing Knicks rookie in a very long time:

If it feels like Kristaps Porzingis is a breath of fresh air … well, it’s because he is that and so much more than that: He is a gust of fresh air, a gale of fresh air, a 198-mph wind blast of fresh air. He is 20 years old and having the time of his life, and 12 games into his professional career, he has Madison Square Garden chanting his name.

You want fresher air than this, you’ll have to move to Wyoming.

If it feels like this almost never happens to the Knicks, and for the Knicks … well, it’s because it almost never does. The last 15 years may feel like an endless treadmill of bad trades and bad players and bad drafts and bad decisions but in truth, with rare exception, that’s been Garden policy far longer than the Dolan Era, extending all the way back to the Eisenhower Administration.

You can make an argument, and a good one, that Porzingis is one of only 10 truly impactful rookies the Knicks have had going back to Willis Reed’s magnificent debut in 1964-65, and of all the absurd negative numbers the Knicks have assembled over the years, that might be the coup de grace.

Wednesday night in Charlotte, the Hornets edged the Knicks, 95-93. Knicks shooting guard Arron Afflako, coming off injury, made his debut and in 28 minutes shot 6-of-13 for 12 points and six rebounds. For more, here’s the New York Post:

Lost amid the commotion over the final frantic 30 seconds and Kristaps Porzingis’ near-miracle buzzer-non-beater was Arron Afflalo’s first game as a Knick.

Putting aside the heartbreaking defeat, it went very well. Afflalo, a key free-agent signing for two years and $16 million, had more bounce than rust, hitting three of his first four shots as the Knicks seized control in the first quarter. Afflalo also hit a big 16-footer with 1:27 left to tie the score, but admitted to fatigue after his big start.

“I haven’t played since training camp,’’ said Afflalo, whose last action was Oct. 21 in the preseason finale in Boston. “Mentally, you feel you can take on the world until you get out there and you’re short on oxygen. It was good for a first game, getting tired battling with those guys in a close game. But I expect myself to be much better Friday.’’ …

With Afflalo, the Knicks seem like a different club. Even point guard Jose Calderon looked a lot smoother playing alongside the 30-year-old vet. Calderon had a nice night, shooting 6-of-9 from the field for 13 points. The Calderon-Afflalo pairing makes sense.

Arron Afflalo is one of the key new Knicks. If the team is going to play respectable basketball this season, he’s likely going to be one of the big reasons why. But a bad hamstring will delay that possibility. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Knicks guard Arron Afflalo insisted he is doing, and would continue to do, everything to get back on the court for the Knicks as soon as possible. He even said he had hoped to be ready for opening night despite his ailing left hamstring.

But that would only work if opening night were in two weeks. The Knicks open Wednesday in Milwaukee.

“I want to say I guess I just have to give it another two weeks or so but it’s hard to judge,” Afflalo said after sitting out the open practice the Knicks staged Sunday at Columbia University. “I’m just going to go based on how I feel and with what the medical staff tells me.”

Afflalo was injured in the final preseason game, Thursday in Boston. He left the game in the third quarter — after coach Derek Fisher debated even using him in the second half — with what was called a tight left hamstring.

The Knicks are enjoying preseason and probably don’t want it to end. But it will. And then the regular season will begin. And reality will set in. But for now, things are good. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Optimism is building out of the Knicks’ 4-1 preseason because Phil Jackson’s team doesn’t look to be as dependent on the rookie production of Kristaps Porzingis as expected. Maybe the Knicks, who went 17-65 last season, will find themselves in a race for the eighth seed in late March and early April.

The Knicks look deep in the frontcourt, and have had excellent preseasons from forwards Kyle O’Quinn, Derrick Williams, last season’s rookie bust Cleanthony Early and, of course, a supremely healthy and defensive-minded Carmelo Anthony.

Nevertheless, Fisher wants Porzingis to be the starting power forward opening night, even if he was shaky Saturday at Charlotte. Rusty from sitting out a week with a quad strain, the 7-foot-3 Latvian shot poorly (3-for-11) from the floor, got blocked by Cody Zeller on a dunk attempt and was pushed around by Hornets post man Al Jefferson, who backed Porzingis in easily for a couple of hoops in the second quarter. Patrick Ewing told The Post that Porzingis’ weight shouldn’t be that big an issue, but it looked like one Saturday.

Preseason is just a warmup for the regular season, so it doesn’t mean anything. But winning is still nice and stuff. And it sets a positive tone, which might help. Maybe. Or not. Anyway, here’s the New York Post reporting:

In topping the Celtics 101-95 at the Garden in their final home preseason game, the Knicks improved to 4-0 and coach Derek Fisher is hopeful that has meaning.

With expectations of the Knicks being mediocre at best, the club looks to be deeper and more efficient than anticipated.

“It depends on what kind of story you want to write,’’ Fisher said. “You can say it means something and these guys are doing great. Or it’s preseason and doesn’t mean anything. For me personally, I’m in the middle. I think the preseason is preparation for the season. That’s what the ‘pre’ stands for. And you have to prepare to win.

“Guys are doing that. That doesn’t always translate when we open up in Milwaukee (Oct. 28). But in getting the idea there’s a certain way to play the game that leads to winning, that’s good to put in guys’ minds. Hopefully it does carry over.’’

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on the Knicks’ prize rookie, who is racking up all sorts of injuries before his first regular season game gets played:

New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis missed Monday’s game due to a strained left upper quad.

It’s the third non-contact injury for Porzingis in the past four months. Coach Derek Fisher said the Knicks’ training staff might consider changes to the rookie’s workout regimen to try to prevent future injury. “There’s definitely something that we need to try and figure out [to] make sure to try and help him limit the injuries and the setbacks,” Fisher said. “It’s for him, it’s for us, it’s for our medical team. We’ll figure it out.”

The Knicks are optimistic Porzingis will play in their next preseason game Friday.

Here’s the New York Post reporting on Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony taking a positive-minded trip to a place kids should be sure to avoid:

Carmelo Anthony’s preparation for training camp was a little different this year. Instead of taking some time for himself, he got ready for the grind ahead by going to jail.

No, he didn’t get into trouble. The Knicks star forward spent his free time visiting Rikers Island and meeting with a group of inmates with the sole intention to motivate the troubled young men.

“It was a lot of encouragement,” Anthony said, speaking about the visit for the first time following Sunday’s practice at the MSG Training Center. “A lot of the kids that’s in there, they still have a chance to come home in the next couple of years, and they’re still dealing with a court case or trial, so there’s some upside to that. They still have a life ahead of them.”