A devastating facial slam dunk in the middle of a game would humiliate most players, but for New York Knicks guard Ron Baker it just added to his legend.
The New York Knicks are stumbling into 2018 after suffering another defeat on the road Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards. The team was lifted by the presence of reserve guard Ron Baker returning to the lineup after suffering a facial injury on Saturday night at the hands of a powerful dunk by New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis.
The left side of Baker’s face took the full blow of Davis’ slam dunk, causing the area under his left eye to become red and swollen with a small cut requiring three stitches. He returned to the game in the fourth quarter but was forced to sit out Tuesday’s home loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Baker was being fitted for a mask to protect the orbital fracture as he’s expected to take over a week to fully recover.
Baker was the victim of plenty of jokes on social media, as it’s common for fans to attack players after a seemingly embarrassing moment. The second-year guard is taking it all with stride and actually finding a positive from the experience. He spoke with reporters after last night’s game in Washington describing his side of the incident.
"“I got a kick out of it. None of that stuff gets under my skin. There’s a lot of people on the other end of that phone that will never say they were dunked on by Anthony Davis, so I think I’m in good company. Our motto is just make everything tough on the defensive end. So our motto was just trying to stop him from dunking. I approached it in a correct way I think as we’ve seen the result all over social media the past couple of days. That’s how the game goes.“I’m not big on watching another guy dunk in your basket. So I was just trying to send him to the line and earn his point. But he went to the line with the made basket. When you’re 6-4 and a guy’s 7-foot and with authority at the rim it makes things a little tough for you.”"
The positive outlook on a possible toxic situation is just another valuable calling card for the former Wichita State star in the NBA. Baker’s commitment to tough, hard-nosed defense is a welcomed addition to the Knicks’ game plan every night. He is not afraid to be matched up with the elite offensive players in the league making them work for every basket on the court.
The stat sheet will never fully justify his impact, but Baker has shown the ability to play meaningful minutes within Hornacek’s system and create a potent backcourt defensive combo with rookie Frank Ntilikina. Players such as Mathew Dellavedova have made a career playing the pesky, hustling, defensive guard role, proving to be key in creating championship teams.
Next: 2017-18 Week 12 NBA Power Rankings
The Knicks are far from being considered championship contenders this season, but Baker is proving his value with the franchise moving forward. The masked man will be a critical piece this season if New York wants to stay inside the playoff picture as the All-Star break quickly approaches.