The New York Knicks are scheduled to begin a three-game homestand tonight, November 11. Visiting the Knicks first are the Sacramento Kings, who are on a two-game winning streak. It will be an exciting matchup since the Knicks are likely to have Kristaps Porzingis back.
Kristaps Porzingis sat out in the New York Knicks' 112-99 loss to the Orlando Magic on November 8 because of injuries to his ankle and elbow. However, ESPN reported that Porzingis "practiced in full" on Friday (Nov. 10), and Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek is expecting him to play against the Sacramento Kings.
New face of the franchise
This season, Kristaps Porzingis is proving to the basketball world that he is the new star of the New York Knicks. In 10 games played so far, Porzingis has averaged 30.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 2.3 blocks per contest. He has led the Knicks to a surprising 6-5 record.
Carrying a franchise is a gargantuan task, especially for a player that is only in his third year in the NBA. But Porzingis is ready to do it for the Knicks and expressed that earlier this November after scoring 40 points in a win over the Indiana Pacers.
The top priority for Porzingis is for the Knicks to come back to the postseason. "The sweetest thing for us, the best thing for us, will be to make the playoffs," the 22-year-old said according to a report by ESPN a few days ago.
In the past four seasons, the Knicks failed to make the playoffs. The last time the franchise survived the regular season was back in 2013, two years before Porzingis arrived in the Big Apple. During that campaign, the Knicks, who were still relying on Carmelo Anthony, finished second overall in the Eastern Conference with a 54-28 record.
Unfortunately, their journey ended in the conference semifinals where they got eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in six games.
Joakim Noah's return
In other New York Knicks news, veteran center Joakim Noah is set to rejoin the squad next week following a 20-game suspension that began late in the 2016-17 regular season.
It is unknown how Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek plans to utilize Noah.
As of this moment, centers Enes Kanter and Kyle O'Quinn are performing well for the Knicks. Kanter, who was acquired by the Knicks in the offseason, has started in all 11 games. Meanwhile, O'Quinn has been the second-stringer at the position. Noah might come off the bench as the Knicks try to slowly insert him to the lineup.
