New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis Looking Solid

Kristaps Porzingis was booed after being selected fourth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2015 NBA draft, yet he has looked as ready for the pros as any other rookie to make their debut this season.

It’s only been one week and two games in, but that doesn’t take away from Porzingis appearing to be a real NBA player in his first year in the league.

In two games, Porzingis has averaged 13.0 points per game on 33.3 percent shooting from the field to go along with 6.5 rebounds, two steals and a block per game.

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Pedestrian shooting percentages from the floor may have put a damper on some people’s expectations for Porzingis to be more of a featured scorer within the offense, but he’s made up for it with a willingness to charge into the lane and draw fouls.

He’s averaged seven free throw attempts per game, showcasing his ability to draw contact in the lane and make the most out of the size and mobility advantages that he has on most bigs.

When he’s gotten to the line, he’s converted on 78.6 percent of his attempts, meaning he’s been effective at generating offense for the Knicks in one way or another.

Where Porzingis has shown the most progress to begin the season has been on the defensive end. The word intense may not do him any justice, as his tenacity on that end of the floor has carried him through rough patches on offense.

From the hustle plays to go after 50-50 balls to playing the passing lanes and blocking shots, Porzingis has arguably been the Knicks’ best defender in the starting lineup. Robin Lopez is always going to be effective down low, but he doesn’t have the athleticism to play multiple spots on the floor like Porzingis has.

And when he’s gotten the ball forcing turnovers, Porzingis has been sure to put on a show, like he did on this play below:

Coming into the league, Porzingis was viewed as a raw prospect defensively because of his lanky and frail body for standing over 7-feet tall. He may not have put on as much muscle as other players did in the offseason, but he did get stronger and he’s held his own early on.

With that being said, take this sample size with a grain of salt, as he hasn’t gone up against any true defensive bigs yet. Greg Monroe of the Milwaukee Bucks is an offensive-minded center, while Al Horford on the Atlanta Hawks doesn’t have the same size and length to be as effective against a forward like Porzingis.

Where Porzingis can improve the most right now is in his low-post game on offense, which will surely be a focal point of his workouts moving forward.

Next: Knicks Defense Lacks Playoff Intensity

If Porzingis can develop a go-to move down low and present more of a threat in that area of the floor, it gives defenders reason to collapse into the paint in order to get ready for the post attack, leaving more room for him to take advantage of his silky smooth jump shot with range that extends out to the three-point line.

No one expected a lot from Porzingis early, but he’s justifying head coach Derek Fisher‘s reasoning to insert him into the starting lineup right away.

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New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis Looking Solid In Debut Week

By Nathan Grubel | Oct 31, 2015