New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The Sacramento Kings?
The New York Knicks traveled to play the Sacramento Kings on Friday, December 9. Who stepped up during the 103-100 road victory?
Dec 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) is defended by Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Knicks began a five-game West Conference road trip on Friday, December 9. The first of five games was unforgettable, as New York narrowly escaped with a 103-100 victory over DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings.
With Sacramento in pursuit of redemption and the Knicks in need of momentum, these two motivated forces clashed with more than pride on the line.
The Knicks defeated the Kings 106-98 on December 5 clash at Madison Square Garden. Derrick Rose stepped up to lead the charge with 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 9-of-14 shooting from the field..
Unfortunately, Rose missed this encounter with the back issues that also kept him out of New York’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks have a flair for the dramatic and the game in Sacramento was no exception. Friday’s clash turned into Saturday morning’s nail-biter as the Knicks narrowly prevailed with a 103-100 victory and a 13-10 overall record.
The question is: who stepped up for the Knicks during one of the biggest games of the 2016-17 NBA regular season thus far?
Dec 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) looks to pass against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony responded to the recent drama with Phil Jackson by pouring in 15 points in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings. It was an outstanding opening quarter from a player who was unexpectedly caught up in unnecessary drama.
As a result of his explosive first quarter, Anthony made history by becoming the fifth active and 29th overall player to eclipse 23,000 career points.
Anthony finished with 33 points, seven rebounds, four assist, one block, and a steal in 36 minutes of action. He shot 9-of-22 from the field, 3-of-10 from beyond the arc, and 12-of-14 from the charity stripe in what ranks amongst his best performances in 2016-17.
The Knicks needed every bit of Anthony’s performance, as he was the only reliable scoring threat for a vast majority of the game.
Anthony could have come out and struggled in the midst of what’s been an unnecessarily distracting week. Instead, he utilized the commotion as motivation and made history in style with a stellar showing.
Anthony got the job done on both ends of the floor and very easily earned Player of the Year honors on the Knicks’ side of things.
Dec 7, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard Justin Holiday (8) warms up before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Justin Holiday
Justin Holiday has made his role with the New York Knicks abundantly clear to those who have watched him play. He isn’t one of the go-to scorers or playmakers, nor is he necessarily a lockdown defender.
What Holiday is to the Knicks is what every coach dreams of having: a player who will simply be there when something needs to be done.
Holiday recorded seven points, three rebounds, one offensive board, and an assist in his 15 minutes of action. He shot 3-of-6 from the field and 1-of-2 from 3-point range, with the latter mark helping the most.
With 4:00 on the clock and the Knicks trailing by two on the road, Holiday calmly converted a clutch 3-point field goal to give New York a 95-94 lead.
That shot embodied what Holiday is to the Knicks and how valuable he is to Jeff Hornacek’s rotations. He’s relentless on defense and as a rebounder, and has an uncanny ability to make the right play when it needs to be made.
Holiday’s numbers didn’t jump off of the page, but he’s one of the primary reasons this game went from the Carmelo Anthony show to a team effort.
Dec 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks guard Brandon Jennings (3) drives past Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison (7) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Jennings
Brandon Jennings committed a number of costly turnovers that swung momentum in the Sacramento Kings’ favor. Having gotten that out of the way, Jennings played an outstanding game given the circumstances.
With Derrick Rose sidelined by a back injury, Jennings stepped into the starting lineup and helped pace the Knicks as a scorer and facilitator.
Jennings stepped up with 13 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in 39 minutes and recorded a +/- of +7. He shot an efficient 5-of-10 from the field and hit three clutch free throws after air-balling his first attempt during the fourth quarter.
Jennings also made a critical shot in the fourth quarter when the Kings were scoring at will and the Knicks trailed by one.
Jennings air-ball at the free throw line was ugly, but he maintained his poise and sank the next one. More importantly, he hit both of his clutch free throws with 19.9 seconds remaining to extend the Knicks’ lead to 101-98 during his next trip to the line.
Jennings had his ups and downs, but it was a strong performance from a player who was carrying a heavy burden in Sacramento.
Dec 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks center Joakim Noah (13) fights for the ball against Sacramento Kings forward Anthony Tolliver (43) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Joakim Noah
This was easily the most important performance of the season by New York Knicks center Joakim Noah. He moved well, rebounded at an elite level, controlled the paint on defense, and stepped up in the area he’d been struggling to all season.
With the Knicks trailing 97-98, the Sacramento Kings went hack-a-Noah and paid the price when he hit both of his free throws to give New York a 99-98 lead.
Noah finished with four points, nine rebounds, one offensive board, one assist, two blocks, and a steal in his 28 minutes of play. He shot just 1-of-3 from the field, but he was a crucial 2-of-2 at the free throw line and had a +/- of +9.
More important than the statistics is how much Noah did for his own confidence during the fourth quarter.
Jeff Hornacek trusted Noah by keeping him on the court when the hack-a-Shaq was on the horizon. Noah responded like the extraordinary competitor he is by stepping up to the line and sinking a pair of momentum-swinging free throws.
Noah had an otherwise strong game, but those free throws were the plays of the game for the victorious Knicks.
Nov 22, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn (9) warms up prior to taking on the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle O’Quinn
It’s only been a brief period of time, but Kyle O’Quinn has been stringing together a number of fantastic performances. He continued to build upon that success with a second consecutive big showing against the Sacramento Kings.
O’Quinn will need to prove he can maintain this level of play for a full season, but he’s redefining his status as an NBA player.
O’Quinn stepped up with eight points, 11 rebounds, five offensive rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in 20 minutes. He shot 4-of-7 from the field and stepped up with vital contributions in the fourth quarter as a scorer, rebounder, facilitator, and defensive player.
Foul trouble was an issue for O’Quinn, but he played with a passion and a purpose—something he deserves limitless respect for.
O’Quinn’s activity on the offensive glass helped keep the Knicks in a game that started to get away from them on numerous occasions. His aggressive defense held DeMarcus Cousins as close to in check as possible and his passing helped Kristaps Porzingis get his confidence back.
There’s no telling how long this will last for O’Quinn, but if he simply maintains his energy, he should realize his limitless potential.
Dec 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) shakes hands with head coach Jeff Hornacek during the second half at Golden 1 Center. The Knicks defeated the Kings 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Kristaps Porzingis
If not for his performance in the fourth quarter, Kristaps Porzingis would have been left off of this list. He may have recorded a double-double—and that undoubtedly matters—but Porzingis shot just 6-of-19 from the field against the Sacramento Kings.
True as that may be, Porzingis stepped up when Carmelo Anthony came off the floor in the fourth quarter and gave the Knicks the necessary push to maintain a winning pace.
Porzingis finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, two offensive boards, and a pair of steals in 35 minutes. He may have shot poorly, but he posted a +/- of +4 and managed to convert all four of his free throw attempts.
With his third double-double in four games, Porzingis further established how hard he’s working to be better and more productive as a rebounder.
Porzingis threw down a dunk to tie the game at 80-80 with 10:34 remaining on the clock. He then crossed his man up and hit a gorgeous jumper to make it 85-82 with 9:04 remaining, and flushed home another dunk to make it 89-84 with 7:58 remaining.
Say what you will about the rest of his performance, but Porzingis overcame a slow start to score six game-changing points in the fourth quarter while Anthony was resting.
Dec 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks forward Lance Thomas (42) signs autographs for young fans prior to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Lance Thomas
Statistically speaking, Lance Thomas had a rather subpar game for the New York Knicks. Beyond the numbers, Thomas had an outstanding performance that firmly established why he’s loved by his coaches.
Whether he was stepping up with a clutch shot or making a critical play on defense, Thomas proved why Phil Jackson re-signed him.
He did.
Thomas’ 3-point field goal with 9:38 remaining on the game clock and the charge he took with 10:03 on the clock set the tone for the Knicks’ fourth quarter resurgence. Six points and three rebounds is nothing to write home about, but it’s also not what should be discussed.
Thomas stepped up when the Knicks needed plays to be made and momentum to be maintained, which is more important than a mere statistic.
Many NBA legends have said that the toughest clutch shot isn’t the game-winner, but the shot that prevents the opposition from pulling away. It’s made when hope is slipping away and doubt is beginning to creep into the minds of the fans and players.
Thomas made those clutch plays as the Knicks somehow managed to survive the opening minutes of the fourth quarter without Carmelo Anthony.
Don’t look now, Knicks fans, but New York is 13-10 and the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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