New York Knicks Takeaways From Preseason

Kristaps Porzingis Development

One of the keys to the things success this season is the development of Kristaps Porzingis. He came out of essentially nowhere last season, averaging 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game. Those are strong numbers for a player that was heavily booed on draft night when the Knicks selected him.

With the impressive rookie season, there are some expectations for his sophomore season. Porzingis did his part in the offseason, as he worked hard to improve his game. He worked on his offensive skill set in the post, his jump shot and added some strength. Hornacek spoke highly of the work Porzingis put in and said that he could tell during training camp.

The results carried into the preseason games, as Porzingis looked good on the court. He scored the second most points per game behind only Anthony, with 13.8 points per game. He shot 51.6 percent from the field, a significant increase from the 42.1 he shot during his rookie campaign. The 34.7 percent is a slight increase, as he made 33.3 percent as a rookie. He started off hot, making 5-of-6 against the Houston Rockets, but finished the preseason 3-for-17.

Consistency is something younger players struggle to find, so the Knicks have to figure out how to keep Porzingis involved and find him easy baskets. Some people believe that he will get lost in the shuffle with all the veterans around, but he is too talented to fall by the wayside.

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Porzingis should thrive in Hornacek’s faster paced offense, as it will get him easier chances to score. We have already seen it pay off in the preseason, as the Knicks hope that success carries into the regular season as well.