Kristaps Porzingis shot to fame with the New York Knicks this season. While fans booed him at the NBA Draft, they are now loving the rookie forward who has been a bright spot in the team's dismal season. However, recently Porzingis has been matching the struggles of the New York Knicks, looking less like the Rookie of the Year he was projected to be. Despite the slump, head coach Kurt Rambis is not concerned.
Porzingis has been struggling to make an impact lately. The forward missed time for a leg injury and upon his return against the Denver Nuggets, he managed just six points and five rebounds. He was more active against the Suns, getting 13 points and five rebounds, but he still went 2-of-10 from the field. Porzingis has been struggling with bad games lately, but Rambis is not ready to sound the alarm just yet.
"I'm not concerned at all," Rambis said. "He's still 20 years old. He's got a lot to learn and my mindset's not going to change about him. He's going to be great. There's just no doubt in my mind. But if we thought it was all going to happen this season and he was going to be perfect and not make mistakes and do everything right and he was going to solve all the mysteries of basketball this year, it just wasn't going to happen."
The coaching change could be a factor. Porzingis had 18 double-doubles under Derek Fisher while averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. With Rambis, he is putting up just 5.0 rebounds per game. Rambis is right not to get worried just yet. However, Porzingis needs to get back to the way he was playing at the beginning of the year if the Knicks are going to start building toward a better future. The rookie is expected to play a big part in the long-term outlook for the Knicks and he must improve.
"It happens,'' Porzingis said. "Bad games happen. Two, three games later, I have a great game. It's the ups and downs, especially my rookie season. It's all learning experiences. Sometimes games you don't feel as well, some games you feel better. I'm trying to find consistency to play at the same level. I'm not there, yet. But I'm learning."
The play of Porzingis will go a long way in determining the moves the Knicks make this offseason in free agency. With Robin Lopez and Porzingis both playing well in their positions, the Knicks can make their focus the point guard position. Players like Rajon Rondo, Mike Conley and Brandon Jennings will have the team's attention. However, if Porzingis cannot pick things up to finish the year, Phil Jackson might have to readjust.
