New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The Orlando Magic?

The New York Knicks completed the second outing of a three-game home stand on Thursday, December 22. Who stepped up against the Orlando Magic?

Dec 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn (9) reacts after a dunk against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks entered Thursday, December 22 with postseason aspirations and a need for a timely victory. New York had lost three consecutive games before securing a 118-111 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, December 20.

Two days later, the Knicks turned a three-game losing streak into a two-game winning streak by securing a massive 106-95 victory over the Orlando Magic to improve to 16-13.

On a night where Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis were solid but not spectacular, the Knicks still managed to prevail. The second unit was superb, the unsung heroes of the starting lineup were invaluable, and the fourth quarter execution was thrilling.

It was a beautiful display of basketball from a Knicks team that proved it can win the occasional home game when the stars don’t take over.

Three of the players who stepped up for the Knicks on Thursday played for the Magic at some point in their NBA careers. That raised the stakes for this outing, as New York had three players looking for some degree of vengeance.

The question is: who specifically stepped up for the New York Knicks during the 106-95 victory over the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden?

Dec 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek talks to New York Knicks center Willy Hernangomez (14) during the first quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Willy Hernangomez

There’s no hyperbole whatsoever in stating that Willy Hernangomez closed out the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter. He’s been solid throughout the fourth quarter of games in 2016-17, but this was his finest performance yet.

With the Knicks in need of a closer after Kristaps Porzingis left early with a right knee contusion, Hernangomez and Brandon Jennings took over.

Hernangomez finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and three offensive boards in 21 superb minutes of action. He shot 7-of-11 from the field and made his second career 3-point field goal in a well-rounded display of his offensive arsenal.

If you were wondering why Phil Jackson went out of his way to trade for Willy Hernangomez at the 2015 NBA Draft, you now have an answer.

Hernangomez went to the post, set strong screens, and rolled hard off the pick and roll. More impressively, he worked the baseline, crashed the offensive boards, and flashed the range on his jump shot.

Hernangomez has a tendency to step up and produce in the fourth quarter, which is one of the healthiest tendencies an NBA player can have.

Dec 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings (3) shoots over Orlando Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier (10) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Jennings

Matched up against his former team, Brandon Jennings showed the Orlando Magic why he’s already a fan favorite in New York. He orchestrated the offense as a facilitator, sparked the defense with his tenacity, and brought Madison Square Garden to life with his energy.

That includes a galvanizing play during the first quarter when Jennings forced a turnover off of an inbound pass in a display of his infuriating defensive ability.

Jennings finished with four points, 12 assists, one offensive rebound, and a steal in just 22 minutes of court time. He posted a game-high +/- of +15, committed just three turnovers, and was the catalyst to New York’s offensive production.

Jennings struck again in the fourth quarter, when he facilitated the offense and stepped up with a massive 3-point field goal as Orlando began to gain confidence.

Jennings does things that don’t show up in the box score. He energizes the crowd with his flashy playmaking and does the same for his teammates with his toughness, trash talking, and willingness to take chances.

Whether or not you believe that basic statistics hold value, it’s no coincidence that Jennings leads the Knicks in assists per game. He’s the best creator they have.

Dec 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard Courtney Lee (5) controls the ball against Orlando Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier (10) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee stole an inbound pass and turned it into two points, which is reason enough to be on this list. That’s a product of effort, anticipation, basketball IQ, and defensive intensity, and there’s no way around that.

Lee made plays on both ends of the floor for the New York Knicks against the Orlando Magic, helping to stabilize the effort.

Lee posted 10 points, three assists, three rebounds, one offensive boards, two steals, and a block in 29 minutes. He shot 4-o-f7 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, which should improve his grasp on the league’s lead in 3-point field goal percentage.

Lee is one of the more subtle players on the Knicks’ roster, but watch him closely and you’ll see how opportunistic and clutch he truly is.

Lee’s role within the offense is almost that of a watchful eye. He moves well without the ball, but always keeps an eye on what’s transpiring in order to have an idea when he needs to strike and when he should keep his distance.

When your shooting guard is pulling down offensive rebounds in traffic and finding the bottom of the net at the most opportune of times, he’s a keeper.

Dec 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn (9) dunks over Orlando Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier (10) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle O’Quinn

It’s getting to the point where it’s no longer fair to say that Kyle O’Quinn has put forth a strong stretch of games. Between his rebounding, scoring, and defense, O’Quinn simply appears to have become a high-quality NBA player.

Against his former team, O’Quinn stepped up with an invaluable performance off the bench for a Knicks team that fought through inconsistency against Orlando.

O’Quinn was legitimately dominant, recording 14 points, 16 rebounds, five offensive boards, and five blocks in just 24 minutes. He shot 6-of-12 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line, and posted a +/- of +5.

O’Quinn was working his tail off until the final seconds ticked off the clock in yet another outstanding performance in 2016-17.

In his fifth NBA season, O’Quinn is beginning to realize his limitless potential. A 6’10” and 250-pound big man with a near 7’5″ wingspan, O’Quinn has recorded at least 14 points and 14 rebounds three times in December.

Even bigger than the undeniably impressive numbers is the fact that, for the first time in his NBA career, O’Quinn appears to be motivated and unrelenting.

Dec 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose (25) drives against Orlando Magic point guard Elfrid Payton (4) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Rose

The New York Knicks acquired Derrick Rose to address the offense’s most significant void: the absence of a penetrating playmaker. Rose continues to excel in that regard, but his biggest statement against the Orlando Magic was a play that didn’t count.

With Orlando out on the fast break, Rose established how committed he is to the Knicks by taking a charge—one that didn’t garner a whistle.

Rose attempting to take a charge may seem inconsequential, but it takes a committed player to put their body on the line. Despite what his body has been through and his reputation states, Rose was ready and willing to do so against Orlando.

Along with continuing to defend at an underrated level, this was yet another strong showing from Rose as a scorer.

Rose recorded a team high 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists in 26 minutes of court time. He shot 7-of-16 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line, and made his ninth 3-point field goal of the 2016-17 NBA regular season.

The Knicks are a different and better team with Rose on the floor—a truth that’s becoming impossible to ignore.

The usual suspects didn’t make the list, yet the Knicks still managed to improve to 16-13 in 2016-17.

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