By Tennie Sumague
EBC New York Bureau
NEW YORK (Eagle News) — Another stellar performance by New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis as fans chanted “M-V-P” in the final 50 seconds of the Knicks 116-110 win over the Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden Monday night.
Porzingis became the first player in Knicks franchise history to score at least 30 points in five of the first six games of the season and the youngest player to do so in the NBA. He finished the night with a career high 38 points on 14-for-26 shooting, including 4-for-7 from the 3-point line, seven rebounds and three blocks.
“He is dynamite in there. He turns around and can shoot the ball. When they are getting into his legs he is still making shots. That is focus. He is focused all the way through,” said Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek on Porzingis’ midrange game.
Porzingis scored 22 points in the first half as the Knicks were up 65-43 at halftime. The Nuggets stormed back and took advantage of the Knicks’ 10 turnovers within six minutes in the third quarter, igniting a 27-2 run to take the lead 73-71 with 4:42 minutes left to play.
The most electrifying play of night came when Porzingis dunked an alley-oop pass from Courtney Lee, setting the Garden crowd into a frenzy. With the game tied at 77, Doug McDermott hit a 3-point shot with 1:09 left in the third quarter and the Knicks held on with the lead throughout the remainder of the game.
What’s Porzingis’ secret to his dominant play and career high performance?
“I am playing my game, trying to be aggressive, [and] trying to bring energy to the defensive end,” Porzingis said.
“I watched a Kobe [Bryant] interview, the game he had 81, he said he never stopped to think ‘Oh I got 50, I got 60’. He just kept going. That’s my mentality always.”
Kyle O’Quinn added 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots off the bench as the Knicks had six players scoring in double figures for their third straight win.
“I think things are starting to click We are a good team, we are a young team,” said Knicks center Enes Kanter. “I think the most important thing tonight was that we competed. In the third quarter, the turnovers really hurt us but I think we did a really good job finishing the game.”
Next up for the Knicks are the Houston Rockets as former Knick coach, Mike D’Antoni makes his return to the Garden Wednesday night.
(Eagle News Service)