New York Knicks: 5 best things from the season so far
5. Ntilikina’s double-double
On March 10th, the Knicks blew an 18 point lead in the third quarter of their game against the Washington Wizards. But, the bright spot was that Frank Ntilikina had a double-double.
Remember in Space Jam when Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan gave the rest of the Toon Squad “Michael Jordans Secret Stuff,” a placebo to raise their game? Well, Ntilikina must have had some of that Secret Stuff because he played with unusual tenacity. He had a complete game where he finished with 20 points, 66.7 field goal percentage, 60 three-point percentage, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, within 30 minutes.
https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1237758931151323136
Ntilikina’s brilliant performance gave fans confidence that the third-year guard was finally turning the corner. This game, plus his improved play this season, gave some sort of indication that Ntilikina is capable of being a solid contributor.
Now, Ntilikina isn’t the most electric player on the team, but it’s been noticeable that he is slowly becoming a consistent player with more confidence.
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Ntilikina’s play this season has taken a jump after his outstanding performance during the 2019 FIBA World Cup that led the French team to place third in the tournament (he was a key component to Team France knocking out Team US). He has become more aggressive in attacking the basket, started taking fancy stepback jump shots, and is showing no fear when clamping down on defense.
He really has been a pleasure to watch this season. It’s like watching your friend ask out their crush. You’re just proud to see them become more confident and develop their game.
The “Frank Haters” are still out there and still believe that he offers no value to the team. Well, he may not be the flashiest player or the next perennial superstar that they want, but there should be some agreement that he has taken a step forward as a role player.