New York Knicks Takeaways vs Portland Trail Blazers

Bench Steps Up

The Knicks bench has been a topic of discussion going back to the summer. While they made plenty of moves the bench was left with a lot of question marks. Outside of Brandon Jennings, Lance Thomas, and Kyle O’Quinn, the Knicks have very little experience on the second unit.

Things were ugly at times to start the season, but as the games have gone on the second unit has gained confidence. They are beginning to fill out into specific roles and helped the Knicks a lot against the Trail Blazers.

Every player that came in off the bench finished with a positive plus/minus ratio. Willy Hernangomez is making a case to stay in the rotation even when Noah returns as he brings a ton of energy and toughness inside. Justin Holiday has been a gem as a supposed thrown in according to some people in the trade with the Chicago Bulls that also brought Derrick Rose into town.

Hornacek is also giving minutes to Mindaugas Kuzminskas and he is responding with confident play. He scored a career-high 10 points against the Blazers, adding three rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 21 minutes. He brings a different element to the court and fits in perfectly with the up-tempo style the second unit plays with. He is capable of playing multiple spots depending on the lineup the team is using.

Tonight was another encouraging night for a second unit the Knicks need to succeed so that they do not burn out their starters.