Knicks: How Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. can coexist

After watching the New York Knicks pick up their level of play recently, fan’s hopes are rising. The team is finding a way to make it work at the point.

Fans are witnessing the start of a team that is capable of performing as a cohesive unit. It is also evident that the New York Knicks may be capable of utilizing Frank Ntilikina (Franky Smokes) and Dennis Smith Jr.‘s (DSJ) skill sets without having to choose one over the other. Both can be successful on this team.

Before the kickoff to the 2019-20 season, there was controversy over who would be the Knicks starting point guard. Even the fans were torn on who they wanted to win the point guard battle. You had the “Ntilikina Truthers” maintaining faith that he can still improve as a basketball player. Then you had the “DSJ Fan Club” hoping to see the young athletic play-maker make his impact this year. There was even had a small Elfrid Payton following that wanted the journeyman point guard to finally break out, though most people knew that was not going to be an option.

What has become clear is that the Knicks should utilize both Franky Smokes and DSJ skill sets to keep opposing teams off-balanced. In other words, just as football teams have a change-of-pace running back to keep defenses honest, the New York Knicks can do something similar with Ntilikina and DSJ.

Frank and DSJ clearly have different styles of play when it comes to running the point guard position. So let’s dive in to get an idea of their skill sets, and how they can work well with each other.

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