5 takeaways

Jonah Ballow

Road WarriorsOne of the most impressive aspects to the Knicks strong start is the resiliency seen on the road.  New York has found success away from the Garden by compiling a 5-2 mark, including 2 consecutive wins to start the four-game road trip.  The Knicks did not win their fifth road game until March 12 last season, which shows their drastic improvement from a year ago.  Additionally, New York owns the best road record in the Eastern Conference and only trails the defending champs and Minnesota for the top road record in the NBA.

Porzingis’ Swat Party and Notable NumbersOn Saturday night, Knicks fans witnessed a truly dominant performance from Kristaps Porzingis.  The Latvian tortured the Rockets by protecting the paint and converting clutch buckets in crunch time to help New York snap a 10-game losing skid in Houston.  With 24 points, 14 boards, and seven swats, Porzingis became the first 20-year old to post that stat line in a single game since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93.  Porzingis leads rookies in single game performances for points (29), rebounds (tied with Okafor 15), and blocks (7).  Oh, and the 7-3 forward/center has six double-doubles in 14 outings this year.

Galloway’s 3-Point AttackLangston Galloway is the league’s leader in 3-point shooting.  The second-year guard is showing no signs of slowing down and his marksmanship has provided the Knicks with a dynamic threat from the 3-point line this season.  As of Monday afternoon, Galloway ranks No. 1 by hitting 55.3 percent from deep and is tied at the top in makes.  Legendary shooter Dirk Nowitzki trails Galloway in the ranking and Doug McDermott is currently in the third spot.  Galloway has evolved into a two-way player off the bench for New York, which is certainly one of the reasons the orange and blue is riding a 4-game winning streak and greatly improved this season.

Calderon’s ResurgenceJose Calderon has bounced back nicely after struggling in the first couple games of the season.  Over his last five contests, Calderon is averaging 9.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.  He’s also netting 60.7 percent of his shots from the field and a sparkling 59.2 percent behind the arc in 27.4 minutes of action.  The return and placement of Arron Afflalo in the starting lineup next to Calderon has helped balance the starting unit.  Afflalo allows Calderon to explore opportunities off the ball and the pair has developed a nice chemistry in the backcourt.

Lopez Wins AgainThe Knicks are 8-6, 5-2 on the road, and enjoying a 4-game winning streak.  None of this really matters considering Robin Lopez is undefeated against mascots this year.  After a surprise attack on Saturday night, Lopez showed his takedown skills and finishing technique against Clutch The Bear in Houston.

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5 Takeaways: Road Warriors, KP6 Dominating, LG’s 3s, Lopez vs Clutch, and More

Seraphin’s Tribute to ParisPrior to Sunday’s matinee against the Pelicans, Knicks big man Kevin Seraphin expressed his support for the tragedy in Paris by sporting a unique haircut.  Seraphin shaved the word Paris on the back of his head with the “A” representing the Eiffel Tower. 

“I just wanted to do something creative, something different – not just put something on my shoes,” Serpahin explained.

The Frenchmen put together an inspired effort in helping the Knicks knock off the visiting Pelicans.  Seraphin scored 12 points in 14 minutes off the pine and received attention across the NBA and national landscape.

“Difficult for sure. It’s hard timing though. Just crazy out there. There’s nobody out on the street. It’s hard because it can happen anywhere. You just don’t know, so that’s kind of scary because my family…my mom, my day…live in Paris. But, you cannot be scared of it, and just fight through it,” an emotional Serpahin stated following the win.Melo Finding His GrooveCarmelo Anthony admitted to a lack of strength in his legs during the first couple games of the season.  As he worked back from the offseason injury, game conditioning was an expected hurdle for the All-Star to overcome in order to regain his explosion.  Well, over the last five games we are starting to see Anthony in all of his offensive glory.  During the five-game stretch with the Knicks going 3-2, Anthony is averaging 26.6 points on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 39 percent behind the arc.  Additionally, Anthony is ripping down 7.2 boards at the small forward position.

Afflalo’s Return and Lineup ImpactLast week in Charlotte, Arron Afflalo made his regular season debut and jumped right into the starting lineup.  At the shooting guard spot, Afflalo displayed positive energy on both sides of the floor while exuding leadership qualities on the sidelines.  The addition of Afflalo instantly improves the Knicks depth in the backcourt and could provide Fisher with a potent small-ball lineup featuring the 30-year old at small forward.Porzingis’ First Showdown Against The BrowWhile it wasn’t his best performance this season, Kristaps Porzingis earned some valuable court time on Sunday afternoon.  The 7-3 rising star took full advantage of the opportunity to square off against one of the best big men in the league.  Anthony Davis was aggressive from the onset, pushing Porzingis on both sides of the court. New York’s rookie summed up the experience; “He is the best power forward in the NBA right now.  He’s one of the guys that I look up and try to learn the game from.  He proved once again why he’s so good.”“Porzingis is a great player,” Davis complimented.  “He can shoot, he can drive and he is active.  It is going to be fun battling him.”

This inaugural meeting seems to have the set the stage for some intriguing one-on-one matchups in the near and distant future.

Evaluating The First 11The Knicks captured their fifth win on Sunday in the midst of an extremely difficult start to the season.  At 5-6, New York faced nine playoff opponents to open the year and will look to the month of December to potentially gain ground.  The Knicks play the second-easiest schedule in December despite eight road contests.

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5 Takeaways: Seraphin’s Tribute, Melo Finding His Groove, Porzingis’ Showdown Against The Brow, and More

Porzingis’ Historic NumbersKristaps Porzingis seems to show us something new and equally as impressive every single night he’s on the floor.  From the high-flying putback dunks to the long-range shots, Porzingis is making the transition to the NBA look fairly natural.  The numbers the young man is compiling are not only noteworthy but also historic.  @TommyBeer from Basketball Insiders writes, Porzingis is one of only two NBA players currently leading their team in rebounds, blocks, and steals (Andre Dummond).  Porzingis also joined an elite group (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Tim Duncan, Lamar Odom, Blake Griffin) to combine for 80+ points and 60+ rebound in their first seven career games.  Additionally, he has posted three double-doubles in the seven outings this year.

Galloway’s Eye-Opening StartWho leads the league in 3-point shooting with at least three attempts per game?  The answer is: Langston Galloway.  The 23-year old is off to a stellar start to the season by averaging 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals per 36 minutes.  He’s shooting a sparkling 61.5 percent beyond the arc and has been a force off the pine for the Knicks.  Fisher has used Galloway in crunch time minutes while pairing him next to Jerian Grant in the second unit.  Galloway’s impact is clearly evident and he’ll soon receive national recognition for these eye-opening performances.

Improvement NumbersGranted it’s a small sample but the Knicks are showing some significant improvements on both sides of the ball.  This year, New York’s defensive rating is 99.9 compared to 107.2 in 2014-15.  Offensively, the Knicks have registered a 100.6 offensive rating this season compared to 97.1 a year ago.

Afflalo’s StatusOn Sunday afternoon, Arron Afflalo was on the floor, sprinting baseline to baseline in front of the Knicks strength and conditioning staff.  While New York’s shooting guard did not suit up for the contest against the Lakers, he showed some significant progress after dealing with a nagging hamstring injury since training camp.

Prior to boarding a plane for Toronto on Monday, head coach Derek Fisher was optimistic about Afflalo potential return this week.

“Not necessarily expect but definitely hopeful,” Fisher answered.  “He’s looking good, working really hard.  Chances tomorrow night are probably a little slimmer than Wednesday but we’ll just have to see how he reacts today, it was a pretty intense workout and tomorrow as well.”

The Knicks backcourt could benefit from the return of Afflalo to help defend some of the speedsters in the league.  He can also create post-up opportunities at the guard position and provide some depth. 

First Home WinThe Knicks rallied down the stretch on Sunday afternoon on an 18-4 run to upend Kobe Bryant’s Lakers.  In what could be Bryant’s last appearance at MSG, New York sent him packing with the loss and captured its first victory of the season at the Mecca.  This was an important win for the orange and blue considering the difficulty of the schedule in the early part of the season.  The Sunday contest marked the first matchup for the Knicks against a non-playoff team this year.

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5 Takeaways: Porzingis’ Historic Numbers, Galloway’s Eye-Opening Start, Knicks Improvements, and More!

Despite Carmelo Anthony’s struggles in the first couple of games to start the 2015-16 season, the Knicks have found success on the offensive side of the floor.  New York ranks No. 3 in the league in offensive rating (107) behind Golden State and Oklahoma City.  As I noted in the preseason, Derek Fisher’s crew is pushing the pace, especially behind a second unit that features young guards and athletic big men.  According to NBA.com/stats, the Knicks own the third highest mark in the Pace category.

New York throttled Milwaukee in the season opener in large part due to the prolific performance from the second unit.  Derrick Williams led the squad with 24 points and the Knicks bench compiled 73 combined points to help the road team spoil the Bucks home debut.  The eye-opening outburst from the bench crew showed us that this group could score and push the offense into a different gear.  Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway have jelled in the backcourt, Williams is an athletic wing, Lance Thomas provides stability, and Kyle O’Quinn can put up double-double numbers on any given night.  This group is averaging 54 points per game thus far.

Anthony admitted to some rhythm issues in the first two outings of the season prior to Saturday’s contest.  Well, on Halloween night, Anthony’s offense was in full concert in a vintage 37-point performance.  Anthony drilled 11-of-18 shots from the floor, 4-of-5 behind the arc, and 11-12 at the stripe.  The All-Star added seven boards, four steals, and a block to an impressive stat line.  He also made two key plays down the stretch in Washington.  At the 1:35 mark of the fourth quarter and both teams locked at 106, Anthony sunk jumper as the shot clock experied with Jared Dudley draped all over him.  With just over a minute left in the game, Anthony set a crucial screen to free Galloway for a huge 3-pointer, which pushed the Knicks lead to five points.  Anthony will begin to discover spots he can find success on the floor next to a completely new roster.  When he regains basketball conditioning, we should see Anthony’s full arsenal on a nightly basis.

Kristaps Porzingis has posted 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his first week of NBA action.  Not bad.  The scary part is we are just seeing a small glimpse of his massive potential.  The 7-3 Latvian brought the MSG crowd to their feet with a steal, spin, and fast break dunk last Thursday.  He is an underrated defender and rebounder.  The rookie should gain comfort over the next couple of weeks and this will lead to a rise in efficiency.  Grant has also been impressive over the first three games.  The Notre Dame product is displaying patience as a rookie signal caller while racking up four assists and two steals per game.  These two rookies’ playmaking skills are a great sign for the near and distance future for the orange and blue.

Last year, Galloway received the call-up to play his first regular season game with the Knicks in Washington D.C.  In the third game of 2015-16 season, Galloway played 27 minutes off the bench, hit two big shots from downtown, scored 14 points, and grabbed seven boards.  Galloway is a key piece to the New York backcourt and it was visible in Saturday’s contest while the combo guard played significant minutes down the stretch.  His ability to defend, sink timely shots, and play within the team structure is proving to be invaluable.

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5 Takeaways: Offensive Firepower and 2nd Unit Lead To 2-1 Start

5.  A Late Scratch For Smith At Derek Fisher’s pregame availability on Sunday night, the head coach told reporters J.R. Smith would suit up for the contest despite dealing with a small partial tear of the plantar fascia.  After testing his left foot, Smith could not return to the floor and was sidelined for the third straight game.  Smith did not practice on Monday afternoon and is listed as day-to-day.

4.  Melo Fighting Through Pain Carmelo Anthony managed to score a game-high 34 points on Sunday night while nursing a sore left knee.  For the second straight game, Anthony ignored the pain and attempted to lead his squad to a win.  He’s been told the knee issue will most likely not get better or worse at the moment but rest during off days could help to alleviate some pain during game action.  Overall, Anthony was solid from the floor, shooting 45.8 percent and terrific behind the arc where he buried 4-of-9 shots in 43 minutes of court time.

The silver lining in Sunday’s defeat is the defensive effort from New York against the East’s top team.  Toronto ranks No. 2 in the league in offensive efficiency and the Knicks held them to 95 total points (86 in regulation).  Granted, the Raptors were missing DeMar DeRozan, but New York forced 24 Raptors turnovers and held them to 46 percent shooting from the floor.

A common theme for the Knicks this season is the disparity in free throw attempts against their opponents.  Sunday night was a completely different story.  New York reached the charity stripe 19 of the total 28 times in the first half and connected on 16 of those attempts.  Tim Hardaway Jr. and Anthony were aggressive in forcing the action to increase the opportunities at the line.  New York registered 10 more attempts in the game and the 23 points accumulated at the free throw line is hopefully a sign of a new trend developing for this team.

1.  New Wrinkles to the Offense We viewed some traditional pick-and-roll action in Sunday’s game against the Raptors.  Case in point was the 1-5 pick-and-roll executed to perfection between Jose Calderon and Amar’e Stoudemire with three minutes left in the fourth quarter that ended with a dime from the point guard to the big man for a one-handed dunk.  In his postgame presser, Fisher explained the use of pick-and-roll sets as a layer to the Triangle and a way to flow into the Triangle offense and another option out of the Knicks base set.  He added, “We have several things we do to start possessions that is still inside of our offense.  We have continued to add things as our guys have become more comfortable with our basic stuff.  Once you open that box it is hard to get guys back to our basic things.”

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5 Takeaways: Smith’s Foot, Defending Toronto, Success At The Stripe, Pick-and-Roll Options

5.  Closing Time Once again, the Knicks found themselves in a close contest during crunch time on Friday night.  Jeff Green’s driving slam dunk trimmed New York’s lead to just six points with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter.  The Knicks effectively staved off Boston’s late surge, which was absent in the past couple of weeks during several narrow defeats.  Tim Hardaway Jr. noted some key points in the locker room about what the team learned and corrected in the win.  The second-year man said the squad avoided fouls, overloaded one side and shifted correctly to the weak side defensively on a string, and rebounded the ball in the late stages.

Head coach Derek Fisher did not seem optimistic Carmelo Anthony would suit up on Friday night when he spoke to reporters at the team’s morning shootaround.  He said Anthony, dealing with left knee soreness, was questionable to doubtful after missing Wednesday’s game in San Antonio.  About an hour and a half before tipoff, Fisher announced Anthony’s availability and placement back in the starting lineup.  Anthony registered 22 points and five boards in a team-high 39 minutes of court time.

The unfortunate part of Friday’s victory was the loss of Iman Shumpert.  At the 2:40 mark of the second quarter, Shumpert dropped to the ground in severe pain, which was later revealed to be a dislocated left shoulder.  The Boston trainers helped to pop his shoulder back in place inside the Knicks locker room.  Despite dealing with immense pain, Shumpert was in good spirits following the game and even joked that if he has to dislocate his shoulder every game in order for New York to get a win, he would do it.  Shumpert received an MRI on Saturday that confirmed the dislocation.  No surgery is necessary and he will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks.

2.  Stoudemire’s Impact Amar’e Stoudemire is providing this Knicks crew with an efficient offensive option on the blocks.  After years of minute restrictions and injury issues, Stoudemire is a force, especially when he drives baseline to the rack and often finishes over defenders.  Stoudemire posted 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor in 26 minutes of action on Friday night.  Fisher has been staggering Stoudemire’s minutes with Anthony to ensure New York has an offensive weapon on the court at all times. 

1.  Looking Ahead Shumpert is out for at least the next three weeks and J.R. Smith is questionable for Sunday’s game against Toronto.  Smith also underwent an MRI on his left foot that revealed a small partial tear of the plantar fascia.  Without two significant players, Fisher will most likely increase Hardaway Jr.’s minutes and utilize three guard lineups, featuring Shane Larkin, Jose Calderon, and Pablo Prigioni in different configurations to counter the loss of Smith and Shumpert.

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5 Takeaways: Melo’s Surprise Return, Injury Updates, Closing On The Road

5.  Kemba’s Theatrics I expressed my fear of Kemba Walker in a tweet just moments before the Knicks and Hornets left their huddles with four seconds left on the game clock in Charlotte.  Walker has registered the most field goal attempts in clutch time this year at four.  With New York clinging to a one-point advantage, Walker received the rock near the top of the arc, drove past Pablo Prigioni, and floated a layup with his off hand over Amar’e Stoudemire.  Walker was only 4-of-14 prior to the shot but his ability to thrive in crunch time was on full display.  In the Knicks locker room, Prigioni said he attempted to take the foul New York had in its back pocket but unfortunately Walker escaped and lifted Charlotte to the win.

Following the game, I asked Carmelo Anthony about the noticeable difference in the pace of play when the Knicks are trailing by a large margin and attempting a comeback.  He admitted to an increased sense of urgency.  Several of the players have spoke about the need to generate that desperate urgency from the opening tip to avoid massive deficits.  Late game execution is certainly critical but the three and a half quarters of action often dictates the final outcome.

The Knicks outscored the Hornets 33-18 in the final stanza.  When examining that final period, the box score reveals New York’s sharpshooting from deep range where it hit 6-of-9 attempts.  The Knicks nearly recorded a better percentage behind the arc than from the field on Friday night.  10-of-22 from downtown is an impressive clip and these close games show when the Knicks launch the long ball, the offense seems to open up and allow for more space and production.

Anthony was the only Knick to hit the double figures mark through three quarters in Charlotte.  In the fourth quarter is where Anthony became aggressive and the result was 15 points and four boards.  Anthony nailed three crucial shots down the stretch in this contest.  At 2:53, he buried a midrange bucket to knock the lead down to eight.  With 1:24 to go, Anthony then drilled a 3-pointer to bring the Knicks within two points.  Finally, Anthony’s corner 3-ball provided New York with a one-point lead and only 40 seconds on the game clock.  The All-Star posted a game-high 32 points to go along with seven rebounds, and four assists in 41 minutes of court time.

1.  The Re-emergence of Hardaway Jr. Hardaway Jr. is starting find a spot back in the rotation.   The second-year guard is a nice scoring option for the Knicks second unit and his ability to launch shots from downtown makes this offense more dynamic.  Over his last two games, Hardaway Jr. is averaging 16.5 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor and 46 percent behind the arc.

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5 Takeaways: Finding Urgency, More From 3, Melo’s 4th Quarter, and the Re-Emergence of THJ

Dwyane Wade returned from a hamstring injury on Sunday night, just in time to help his squad stave off a strong second half from the Knicks.  Miami was 3-5 during Wade’s absence and his impact in its lineup was quite evident at MSG.  The shooting guard hit 6-of-8 shots in the fourth quarter and registered 13 of his team-high 27 points.  Wade’s offensive rebound and putback layup with four minutes left in the game pushed the Heat’s advantage to eight points.  On the next possession, Wade sunk a vintage 12-foot fadeaway jumper to increase Miami’s lead to double digits and it never looked back in the 86-79 road win.

4.  J.R. Smith’s Minutes J.R. Smith only posted five minutes and change in the Sunday contest against Miami.  Head coach Derek Fisher told the media following the game that Smith needed IV fluids at the morning shootaround and he was feeling sick prior to the contest, which resulted in the lack of court time.

Fisher felt the overall team effort was much improved compared to Friday’s game in Oklahoma City.  While the Knicks struggled to shoot from the 3-point line and the field, the production on the glass and inside the paint is worth noting.  Yes, the amount of missed shots led to more rebounding opportunities but the 20 offensive boards helped keep New York within striking distance.  Additionally, the Knicks found some success in the box by outscoring Miami 36-24 inside the paint.

Amar’e Stoudemire continues to impress with a string of standout performances over the last 12 days.  In Sunday’s game, Stoudemire started the second half and next to Carmelo Anthony, posted 19 points and 12 boards on 53.8 shooting from the floor.  Stoudemire also registered a season-high in minutes (36).

1.  Melo’s Return Remarkably, Anthony returned to the court less than a week removed from severe back spasms.  Anthony could not even speak after suffering from the back issues in Houston.  On Sunday, the All-Star shook off early rust and quickly returned to form by scoring 31 points and grabbing eight boards in front of the home crowd.  Anthony played 41 minutes in the defeat and was back at work for Monday’s practice session at MSG Training Center.