Kristaps Porzingis has been struggling with his shot lately. But the Knicks’ 7-foot-3 power forward believes he has the answer to correct his struggling offense.
It’s called defense.
“When the game is not going my way offensively I want to lock in defensively and make some big plays on the defensive end, and that will lead to me getting an easy bucket or just getting it going,” said Porzingis, who has been shooting a very un-unicorn-like 40.2 percent (41-of-102) over his last six games.
By gum, it’s so crazy it just might work.
“Once in that rhythm,” Porzingis said, “I feel I can hit shots from anywhere, basically, and so the mentality for me is not necessarily to keep shooting it and eventually they will fall, but get a stop.”
So much for the theory of shooting your way out of slumps, like John Starks of years past who always claimed, “I’m a shooting guard and shooting guards shoot.” Even when shooting bricks. So Porzingis jump-starts his offense on the other end.
After 14 games, Porzingis was shooting 50.2 percent, including 39 percent on 3s, and averaging 21.0 points – plus 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. In his last six games – which includes a dismal 8-of-30 during his two most recent affairs leading to Tuesday’s game in Miami – Porzingis has shot that 40 percent and has still been a 39.5 percent force on 3s. His scoring is slightly down (19.5), his rebounds are comparable (7.2), but his blocks have jumped to 3.27.
Maybe there is something to him defending. But what’s up with the shot?
“If I knew the answer, I would fix it,” Porzingis said.
So until the fix is in, defend.
“Get a big block or steal and run a fast break. That’s how I get going, so that’s my mentality when the shot’s not falling,” said Porzingis, who was an awful 1-of-10 in the first half and then 5-of-8 in the second half of Sunday’s 106-98 victory over Sacramento at the Garden.
“That’s one thing you can always do even when the game is not going your way, when you’re not in rhythm. You can always work hard defensively,” Porzingis said.
Porzingis admitted defense – by the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins – was part of the reason he was out of whack to start Sunday. Cousins blocked him early. Porzingis proceeded to rush and hurry shots. And inevitably, miss shots. When halftime arrived, Porzingis thought it through.
“What I was thinking at halftime was just making sure I’m taking my time when shooting it. I don’t have to hurry,” Porzingis said. “Maybe that early block that DeMarcus got on me, maybe I started thinking a little bit more.”
After all, the mind can often be a terrible thing to use in sports.
“I just need to, once I’m open, let the ball fly. Don’t overthink but don’t rush it,” Porzingis said. “So at halftime I was thinking, ‘Stay calm, stay relaxed and stay with your shot. Just shoot it and stay confident.’ That was it and in the second half, I played a little better. Shot the ball a little better, but got to get some work in and start shooting the ball better.”
Tuesday in Miami would be a good time and place for the better stuff to begin. The Knicks have begun taking care of business at home. They are 8-1 at the Garden since Nov. 9 and are 8-3 overall since Nov. 14.
“Just making improvements step by step, every practice, every game. and playing more as a team every day,” Porzingis said. “It’s all just coming together slowly, and we still have a lot of room to grow as a team, but I think we’re on the right track.
“We’re playing better at home obviously because the crowd is behind us and that gives us so much energy,” Porzingis added. “We know we’ve got to protect the home court so we’ve just got to figure it out on the road.”
And when all else fails, just defend to the death.