Month: December 2017

Kristaps Porzingis played a key role in the Knicks’ come-from-behind win over the Pelicans on Saturday night, giving the team a much-needed road win to wrap up 2017.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points, Jarrett Jack made two free throws to break a tie with 9 seconds remaining and the New York Knicks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 105-103 on Saturday night.

The Knicks hope to end recent skid against the Pelicans.

Kristaps Porzingis, who recently complained about not getting enough foul calls, shares his theory on how to avoid technicals.

Porzingis strapped on his cape and ended his 2017 with a bang.

Jeff Hornacek is not yet ready to start Frank Ntilikina. But that time is coming.

Porzingis scored 7 straight points in a late fourth-quarter push as the Knicks won for the first time in five games.

The Knicks ended 2017 with a hard-fought victory on the road. Those have been hard to come by for this surprising team.

Jeff Hornacek plans to give Frank Ntilikina more playing time, but he’s not quite ready to start him.

Jeff Hornacek isn’t one to make New Year’s resolutions. But when pushed on it, the Knicks’ coach said, “Road wins” and laughed heartily.

NEW ORLEANS — This Knicks road trip started in Chicago with bad news for Joakim Noah. For the second time in 2 ½ weeks, he would not be dressing at the arena in which he was once an MVP candidate. The trip ended with one of Noah’s finest moments of a strange season — with…

NEW ORLEANS — Kristaps Porzingis broke out of his slump with a 30-point game and rose up in the clutch. Jarrett Jack, this time, hit last-second free throws. And the Knicks celebrated wildly on the court at the buzzer, heading into the new year with a .500 record. Rallying from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit, the…

Well, there goes another year into the books that somehow marched merrily on without a championship from a New York City team. If you’re keeping score, come May 3, 2018, that will be 2,282 days since our last title (the Giants’ most recent Super Bowl run), and that will surpass, by one day, the most…

NEW ORLEANS – Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek isn’t ready to vault rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina into the starting lineup – at least not yet. Ntilikina is coming off his career-high 11 assists against French legend Tony Parker, logging a season-high 31 minutes in San Antonio. Meanwhile Jarrett Jack is starting to fade and Hornacek…

NEW ORLEANS — Kristaps Porzingis admits he has had a tough time fighting frustration on the court over not getting a lot of calls. The 7-foot-3 Latvian said he has done his best not to lash out at referees, but said, “it’s getting to me a bit.’’ After fouling out in San Antonio in the…

The triangle is gone but Jeff Hornacek’s offense remains stuck in another era.

The Big Apple fan base went without a title again in 2017. What are the odds that will change in the new year?

Mired in an ugly shooting slump, Kristaps Porzingis made a public plea to the referees for help.

NEW ORLEANS — It took a while, but the sliding Knicks now feel Tim Hardaway Jr.’s extended absence full bore. Michael Beasley calls Hardaway “Angry Grandpa,” and the Knicks miss his spirited oncourt fight — as well as his scoring. It has been almost four weeks since he was diagnosed with a stress reaction (at…

NEW ORLEANS — The consistent 30-point games are history and the shooting percentage has dipped to 44.4 percent. After a 119-107 loss Thursday to the Spurs in San Antonio, slumping Kristaps Porzingis even lobbied referees for the second time this season after he felt they missed contact opponents made on his arms when he rises…

The Knicks are dead last in three’s attempted and made. Jeff Hornacek hopes that changes.

Kristaps Porzingis has grown frustrated at his lack of shooting fouls and took to the media to air his grievences.

You may not be sure anymore if you’re watching basketball or you’re on the Superman roller coaster at Disney World.

You can say he’s ageless and even sublime. But can you truthfully say, as Steve Kerr did, that James is better in his 15th N.B.A. season than he was in his 10th?

With packed routines, the hard-working Brooklynettes and Knicks City Dancers are “there to create just as much of a show as the basketball players.”

The game isn’t coming as easy for Kristaps Porzingis these days as it was at the start of the season.

Kristaps Porzingis never got into an offensive rhythm, and he had his share of difficulties on the other end guarding LaMarcus Aldridge.

Tony Parker is a fan of Frank Ntilikina’s game. The team in France owned by Parker (ASVEL) played Ntilikina’s (Strasbourg) the previous three years, and Parker saw enough to believe that the rookie point guard will make an impact in the NBA.

It has been a tumultuous year for New York-area managers, executives and coaches:

The Knicks were able to push the pace against the Spurs, who were without Kawhi Leonard, but could not overcome a balanced effort from San Antonio.

French point guards stick together.

It’s officially trouble time.

Justin Holiday wanted to return to the Knicks and believed the feeling was mutual.

It’s been long assumed Enes Kanter will opt into the final year of his contract. The $18.4 million is just too great.

SAN ANTONIO — The Knicks were just relieved they weren’t blown out of Alamo City. They received a holiday gift from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who rested superstar Kawhi Leonard on Thursday night for what the Spurs termed as “return from injury management.’’ Popovich made the right call and the Knicks returned below the .500…

SAN ANTONIO — The Knicks’ interest in trading Kyle O’Quinn at the Feb. 9 trade deadline will rise at the same rate as their chances of making the draft lottery. According to league sources, O’Quinn’s market value will depend on how clubs view his opt-out clause. The Knicks are under the impression O’Quinn, a Queens…

SAN ANTONIO — French point-guard pioneer Tony Parker knows Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina all too well. As the quarterback for Strasbourg last season, Ntilikina led his French team past Asvel in the French League semifinals. Parker, the Spurs legend, has owned Asvel for three years and said Ntilikina “was on our radar’’ in 2014 before…

The Knicks drop their fourth straight, and fall below .500, with a 119-107 loss to the Spurs.

Tony Parker believes in the ability of Frank Ntilikina– but hopes the Knicks are patient with him.

Enes Kanter could opt-out of his contract after this season and become a free agent.

After losing to the lowly Bulls, the Knicks travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs.

Willy Hernangomez has played just five minutes in the last eleven games, and his situation is becoming increasingly difficult.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has increased his on-court activities but his return to the Knicks lineup is still undetermined.

The brutal road stretch that started for the Knicks Wednesday night began in brutal fashion with another gut-wrenching loss.

Tim Hardaway Jr. hasn’t been cleared for running yet, but he jogged over to the ball rack on the sideline, jogged back and shot a three-pointer.

The Knicks led by as many as 15 in Chicago, but Kris Dunn led a comeback for the Bulls as they edged ahead in the final moments.

In the latest instance of a coach exploiting an obscure rule, the Suns avoided a goaltending call on a last-second inbounds pass that was dunked by Tyson Chandler for a win.

Kris Dunn scored 17 points, including two clutch free throws in the final seconds, and the surging Chicago Bulls rallied to beat the New York Knicks 92-87 on Wednesday night.

The Chicago Bulls will go for their ninth win in 11 games when they return home to host the New York Knicks on Wednesday night at United Center.

Hardaway, Jr. recently began jumping while shooting and is no longer wearing a brace.

Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek implied that this year’s team is stronger-minded than the one that collapsed in the second half of last season.

Every NBA team is adding another alternate uniform, and the two local teams will highlight some of the best parts of the Big Apple with their “City Edition” threads. The Knicks will honor the New York City Fire Department. The jersey features an FDNY crest that says “Knicks” and “N.Y.C.” along with ladder and fire…

CHICAGO — It ended with a missed free throw by Jarrett Jack and a weird 3-point shot by Enes Kanter that Jeff Hornacek called in the huddle. It ended with the Knicks coach calling out his team for not being tough or “physical’’ enough late in games away from the Garden. It ended in disaster…

CHICAGO — At the Knicks’ Christmas Eve practice, center Willy Hernangomez got clocked by assistant coach David Bliss during a one-on-one drill. The blow caused a big welt on his right cheek. It swelled up, got infected and the normally handsome Hernangomez wasn’t ready for a modeling gig on Christmas. “I was worried — national…

Derrick Rose’s time with the Cavaliers did not get off to a good start, and after deciding to take some time away from the team, there was plenty of speculation about the ex-Knicks point guard’s NBA future. He wants you to know he has one. Rose left the Cavs on Nov. 22, but rejoined his…

CHICAGO — Tim Hardaway Jr. said he hopes to be cleared to run next week, and Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek still is eyeing a January return after Tuesday’s latest reevaluation. In the latest update after Tuesday’s reevaluation with team doctors, the Knicks announced he still will “continue to be reevaluated weekly.” The Knicks said in…

Joakim Noah will not play at the United Center this season. And that’s only because he’s no longer good enough to make the roster.

The Knicks blew it.

He is the beating heart of British basketball and his journey has taken him from the Bronx to Buckingham Palace. And, at 44, he is still going. “In his mind, age doesn’t apply.”

The outcome of the Christmas Day showdown with the Cavaliers was an apt reminder that the Warriors remain No. 1.

About three weeks after he was diagnosed with a stress injury, there’s still no timeline for Tim Hardaway Jr.’s return.

With Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose dominating minutes at two positions — and often the ball — the Knicks quit last season.

Knicks C Enes Kanter is maintaining confidence in his team as the Knicks prepare for a key three-game road trip.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is still without a timetable to return, though is progressing in his rehabilitation.

In the Knicks’ 105-98 Christmas Day loss to the Sixers, all eyes were on Kristaps Porzingis and Joel Embiid. So who won the matchup?

Kristaps Porzingis spoke candidly and maturely about his shooting struggles over his last nine games, promising improvements.

System.Xml.XmlElement

The 76ers delivered the blueprint. Now it’s up to the Knicks to adjust — if they can. Sixers guard T.J. McConnell ruined Christmas at the Garden with his pressure defense, as Jarrett Jack and Frank Ntilikina struggled running the offense while being hounded by the reserve guard. Expect future opponents to do the same. “Even…

At least he’s not going backward. The stress injury to Tim Hardaway Jr.’s lower left leg is taking ample time to heal, but he is making progress, albeit slowly, it seems. Hardaway wasn’t wearing a brace on his left leg as he took jump shots, went through shooting drills and jumped off both legs after…

On Dec. 25, 1947, a tradition was born. For the first time, an NBA game was played on Christmas, with the New York Knicks defeating the Providence Steam Rollers — one of the original 11 teams — 89-75. Twenty years later, the Christmas slate was broadcast on national television, so fans all across the country…

The two were seen at Madison Square Garden along with their sons.

The similarities are eerie — almost like looking into a mirror. A year ago at this time, there was optimism surrounding the Knicks, two games above .500 following a hard-fought Christmas Day loss at the Garden to a division rival. A tough three-game road trip was on tap. It became the precursor to a nightmarish…

Fair warning: If you texted Enes Kanter on Monday to tell him what a great job he did, there is a very high likelihood that he didn’t and won’t get back to you. Don’t be offended. He’s a bottom-line kind of guy.

On paper, the Knicks had almost everything going for them — a raucous Christmas Day crowd in the friendly confines of Madison Square Garden, a 76ers team that practically limped into New York after losing nine of its previous 10, and Enes Kanter, who — despite entering the game being overshadowed by a certain other big man — was about to have one of the best games of his career.

Joel Embiid waited a long time for a chance to make a first impression at Madison Square Garden.

Now we’re about to see if the Knicks are for real or not.

Entering this season, the fear for the Knicks was their point-guard play. The fear was realized on Christmas. Starting point guard Jarrett Jack went scoreless, going 0-for-5, and committed an ill-advised flagrant foul on Joel Embiid in the third quarter with the score tied at 52. Rookie Frank Ntilikina looked lost on defense for one…

Joel Embiid said his family wasn’t around for Christmas. So maybe that’s why he decided to play Grinch and steal the Knicks holiday spirit. This was supposed to be a nationally televised celebration of all the progress the Knicks have made this season, especially at the Garden, where they have been rather dominant — at…

It was another subpar shooting performance for Kristaps Porzingis, who wasn’t as big of a factor as he needed to be in the Knicks’ 105-98 loss to the Sixers on Christmas Day at the Garden. Porzingis was 6-of-19 from the field and was just 9-of-14 from the free-throw line to finish with 22 points. In…

Knicks starting center Enes Kanter got a slew of Christmas texts congratulating him for his 30-20 game. But Kanter has his 20/20 vision trained on the big picture and he will not return many of those good-natured messages because the Knicks suffered a damaging 105-98 defeat to the Sixers in Monday’s Garden holiday matinee. Kanter…

This was no Merry Kristaps for the Knicks. In fact, Monday’s holiday could foreshadow something grim — as it did a year ago. Knicks center Enes Kanter was sensational with a 31-point, 22-rebound explosion, but Kristaps Porzingis didn’t have one of his stronger games. That allowed the 76ers’ Joel Embiid and his flock of hot-shooting…

The Christmas Day showdown was sort of scruffy, with both Stephen Curry and Isaiah Thomas missing. But the result was an apt reminder that the Warriors remain No. 1.

After Monday’s loss, New York was 17-16 and facing a long, tough stretch on the road. And the Knicks have been weak away from home this season.

Durant delivered a towering performance on both ends of the floor, defending LeBron James and scoring 25 points.

In the Knicks’ 105-98 Christmas Day loss to the Sixers, all eyes were on Kristaps Porzingis and Joel Embiid. So who won the matchup?

Enes Kanter made history on Christmas Day, but doesn’t care because his team lost.

The Knicks fell to the Sixers on Christmas Day despite 31 points and 22 rebounds from Enes Kanter.

Kristaps Porzingis gifted the media Zing Bars on Christmas Day against the Sixers.

After Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy said the NBA gave the Knicks a favorable home schedule through the first couple months of the season, New York head coach Jeff Hornacek said he didn’t see it in Van Gundy’s eyes.

Knicks forwards Kyle O’Quinn and Joakim Noah are both active for Monday’s game against the 76ers, while Philadelphia forward Joel Embiid and guard J.J. Redick are also active.

Kristaps Porzingis and the Knicks face Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas at noon.