Ranking each NBA team’s All-Decade starting 5 from the 2010s
22. New York Knicks 2010s all-decade starting lineup
- Raymond Felton
- J.R. Smith
- Carmelo Anthony
- Amar’e Stoudemire
- Kristaps Porzingis
It’s easy to forget how potent an offensive duo Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire were in the early stages of their pairing before the latter’s knees gave out.
Injuries aside, what held the New York Knicks back from truly thriving with these two was the lack of spacing with Tyson Chandler’s presence in the middle. Neither STAT nor Melo had room to operate offensively, but Kristaps Porzingis changes that game completely.
KP is the rare 7-footer — 7’3” — who commands respect from the 3-point line while also being able to protect the rim at the other end. He is the only player in NBA history to shoot 39.0 percent from distance — with the prerequisite amount of attempts — and average at least 2.0 blocks per game, which he did in 2017-18, his first All-Star berth.
That added spacing would open up New York’s entire offense, and Porzingis is athletic enough to serve as an adequate rim-runner setting screens for Raymond Felton, who had his best years with the Knicks in two separate stints.
J.R. Smith had his career-best season in New York as the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year, but it would be interesting how that talent meshes in more of a complementary role closer to the one he occupied in Cleveland.
Aside from Porzingis, nobody in this lineup has proven capable of defending at a consistently high level, which is ultimately why they rank where they do.
They might outscore many opponents and put up some crazy totals on the right night, but if the shots aren’t falling for these Knicks, there’s little else to keep them afloat.