In truth, the Knicks had no real expectations of beating Portland in their second of back-to-back games on the road. No surprise, then, when New York wound up on the short end of a 110-95 game.However, there were several redeeming aspects here.
Carmelo Anthony was out with a sore left knee. Derrick Rose was unavailable because of an injured right foot. Accordingly, Jeff Hornacek took advantage of their respective absences — and also of the Knicks’ chances of making the playoffs having been officially quashed — by giving bountiful playing time to the young players.
We already know plenty about Kristaps Porzingis, but guys like Willy Hernangomez, Ron Baker, Chasson Randle, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Marshall Plumlee, and Justin Holiday got time to determine who might, and who might not, develop into valuable performers as the Knicks’ rebuilding projecting continues.
Here’s what the game at hand revealed about these young’uns.
HERNANGOMEZ — 5-of-10, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and 14 points in 21 minutes.
He showed a soft touch on mid-range jumpers, as well as on flippers in the paint — and he played hard.
However, the rookie rarely boxed his man off the glass, didn’t finish his screens, failed to adequately show in defense of screens, and made just as many good defensive rotations as bad ones.
Hernangomez’s biggest problem was the 7’0”, 280-pound Jusuf Nurkic, who repeatedly bullied him in the low post.
Despite all the talk about Hernangomez being the Knicks’ center of the future, his glaring defensive inadequacies indicate that he’s better suited to being a backup.
KUZMINSKAS — 3-of-8 (including 2-of-5 from downtown), eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, two turnovers, and 14 points in 32 minutes.
He runs, shoots, scraps, is aggressive in attacking the hoop, and has good hands. Kuzminskas definitely has enough game to eventually become a third scoring option on a second unit.
Too bad his defense is atrocious. His rotations were routinely late. He frequently turned his head, and he was confused when confronted with to-switch-or-not-to-switch situations.
And at 27, how quickly can he develop? Or is his future already behind him?
BAKER — 2-of-8 (0-of-2 from distance), four assists, one steal, block, and turnover, for four points in 24 minutes.
This is a hard-nosed kid who is fundamentally sound. He battles around-and-through defensive screens, plays excellent team defense, and generally makes good decisions with the ball.
On the debit side, Baker lacks quickness, and a consistent jumper.
Pencil him in for a fourth guard in a three-guard rotation.
RANDLE — 4-of-7 (2-of-4 on triples), two assists, for 13 points in 19 minutes.
He showed quick hands and feet, excellent athleticism, a good release and good range (especially when he hit a left pull-up trey), and he also plays earnest defense.
Randle’s adhesive defensive pressure deep in the backcourt produced a turnover. Also give him credit for a tip-in among the trees. Plus, he alertly moves without the ball and plays with a quiet fearlessness.
All Randle lacks is experience. As an undrafted rookie, he was routinely dissed by the refs.
How good could he be?
If not a starter at the point, then at least a 20-minute sub.
HOLIDAY — 3-of-8 (0-2 from long range), two assists, seven points in 22 minutes.
He’s already proven to be a quick-release, bull’s-eye 3-point shooter. Moreover, he’s athletic, has good hands, moves well without the ball, and competes.
Consistent defense is his most significant problem — mostly turning his head and finding his man in early-offense situations. Nothing that can’t be remedied and, indeed, his defense has improved.
A valuable scorer off the bench, Holiday is also not afraid to take clutch shots.
But can the Knicks re-sign him? And if they do, will that lure his brother Jrue to New York?
PLUMLEE — 0-of-1, two rebounds, two assists, one steal, zero points in five minutes.
The youngest of the brothers Plumlee, Marshall is a banger. He sets solid screens, offers admirable defensive help in the paint, makes effective shows in defending screens, has good hands, is an alert passer with a high basketball IQ, plays with extraordinary energy, and is strong enough to establish and maintain optimal position in the low post.
But can he score?
Again, unless he can broaden his game, Plumlee’s ceiling is being a stout backup at center.
In sum, except for Porzingis, only Holiday and Randle (and possibly Baker) have the possibilities of evolving into valuable rotation players who can be trusted to play significant minutes in close ball games.
3/24/2017 7:51 PM