New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis, Karl-Anthony Towns Changing NBA
The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves have players who are going to change the NBA forever in Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns.
With no hyperbole whatsoever, the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are offering the NBA a flash forward. The first 2016-17 preview of the future ended in New York’s favor—a 106-104 win in Minnesota—and there will be many more to come.
Though there are a number of promising players on both teams, the clashes between the Knicks and Timberwolves are all about two men: Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns and Porzingis had a clash to remember on November 30. Towns went off for an unfathomable 47 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks, and Porzingis countered with 29 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks of his own.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, six-time All-NBA honoree Carmelo Anthony praised Porzingis and Towns as the future faces of the NBA.
“The sky’s the limit for them two guys in this league,” Anthony said. “Towns, playing the way he’s playing, Kristaps, getting better and better each day, they’ll be around for a long time. They’ll be face of this league in a couple of years.”
Head coach Jeff Hornacek—an All-NBA honoree when he played—agreed with the sentiment expressed by Anthony and predicted dominance for both men.
“Two great players in this league for a long, long time,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “Both [21] years old. They’re going to be dominating in these next bunch of years. It’s fun to watch.”
The Knicks are fortunate to have one of those two potentially dominant players.
There are others to include with them—Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, and a select few others—but Porzingis and Towns are the focal points here. They check the boxes of standards for a traditional big man and still find ways to incorporate modern trends and expectations.
The question is: what is it that makes Porzingis and Towns so special and how are they changing the game?
Jun 26, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders and number one overall draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns pose with his new jersey at Mayo Clinic Square. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Where It Began
Approaching the 2015 NBA Draft, neither Karl-Anthony Towns nor Kristaps Porzingis were viewed as slam-dunk prospects. Towns received powerful support from around the NBA, but even he fell victim to the critics who bash Kentucky Wildcats big men for playing limited minutes.
Though some hypothesized that Jahlil Okafor would go No. 1 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was Towns whom the late great Flip Saunders selected.
Three picks later, Porzingis came off the board at No. 4 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. It was a heavily scrutinized move by media members and fans who questioned what Phil Jackson was thinking by passing up on the likes of Emmanuel Mudiay and Justise Winslow.
Though he may never get the credit he deserves, Jackson’s selection of Porzingis has proven to be the right move.
Towns and Porzingis went on to finish No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2016 Rookie of the Year voting, with both earning unanimous selections to the 2016 All-Rookie First Team. Both have the look of future franchise players and each have had to overcome their fair share of obstacles.
No matter what else you have to say about Jackson’s tenure as team president, it’s he who gave the Knicks Porzingis when the masses told him not to.
Nov 28, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) backs towards the basket as Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) plays defense in the second half at Target Center. The Jazz won 112-103. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
What Makes Towns Special?
Karl-Anthony Towns has the potential to be the Tim Duncan of his era. Though he’s capable of dominating in a seemingly infinite number of ways, he keeps it simple and doesn’t make the game more complicated than it needs to be.
It’s only fitting that Towns’ unanimous selection as the 2016 Rookie of the Year was the result of a Duncan-like first season in the NBA.
Towns became the eighth rookie in NBA history to average at least 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks* per game. The previous seven rookies to do it were Elton Brand, Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Ralph Sampson.
For perspective, Towns also made 30 3-point field goals as a rookie, while the other seven players combined for one.
Beyond the numbers, Towns has elite size, length, and athleticism, as well as a strong frame that can absorb contact. He’s capable of going to the post, spotting up from 3-point range, attacking off the bounce, handling the ball in transition, controlling the boards, and dominating defensively.
Simply put: what makes Towns special is that he does everything a big man is supposed to do and everything a perimeter player can, too.
*Blocks weren’t an officially recorded statistic in the NBA until 1973-74.
Nov 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (88) during the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
What Makes Porzingis Special?
No matter what the numbers have said, New York Knicks fans have remained uncharacteristically optimistic about Kristaps Porzingis. The driving force behind that optimism has been the pure and unfiltered passion that Porzingis plays with on a nightly basis.
Porzingis has the work ethic of a superstar off the court, the motor of a superstar on it, and a skill set that has resembled everyone from Dirk Nowitzki to Hakeem Olajuwon.
As for the numbers, Porzingis is the first and only rookie in NBA history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 3-point field goals made. He had the highest points, rebounds, and blocks per game averages by any Knicks rookie since Patrick Ewing in 1985-86.
Beyond the numbers, Porzingis is a coordinated and athletic 7’3″ big man with positional versatility, proficiency in the post, 3-point range, and a tight handle.
Defensively, Porzingis has the potential to emulate 2008 Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett in the way he switches off of pick and rolls and defends multiple positions. Offensively, Porzingis has drawn apt comparisons to Nowitzki—the 2007 MVP.
With the ability to shoot over defenders without leaving his feet, block shots without leaving his feet, and dominate the boards without leaving his feet, the sky is the limit for Porzingis.
Nov 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) blocks Minnesota Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the fourth quarter at Target Center. The Knicks defeated the Timberwolves 106-104. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
2016-17: Second Season Progress
Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns are both 18 games into their second season as NBA players. Both are 21 year of age and neither will turn 22 during the 2016-17 season, which further links their career trajectories.
Thus, it’s only right that both Porzingis and Towns are evaluated side-by-side with an equal sample size of NBA experience.
Towns is currently averaging 22.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 3-point field goals made per game. He’s doing so on an almost perfectly ideal slash line of .500/.375/.750.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are just 5-13 through 18 games, but Towns is finding his niche within Tom Thibodeau’s system and thriving along the way.
Porzingis is on an All-Star campaign of his own with averages of 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.5 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 2.3 3-point field goals made per game. He’s been just as efficient, if not more so, with a slash line of .491/.408/.787.
From a statistical perspective, both Porzingis and Towns are progressing nicely towards superstar status, as well as their first career All-Star Game appearances.
Mar 27, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (L) and Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki (R) battle for rebounding position during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Change of the Guard
If Karl-Anthony Towns is the modern Tim Duncan and Kristaps Porzingis is the modern Dirk Nowitzki, then the NBA is going to flourish. Duncan and Nowitzki have six NBA championships, three MVPs, four Finals MVPs, and 27 All-NBA selections between them.
Far more important than any player comparisons, however, is the change that Porzingis and Towns represent for the NBA as a whole.
The previous generation of big men helped pave the way for the likes of Porzingis, Towns, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Joel Embiid, and so forth. The legends of yesteryear modernized their positions in their own ways, but the evolution hasn’t yet been completed.
The NBA has been waiting years for players to come along and make this happen, and they’ve finally arrived; there’s finally been a change of the guard.
There’s no guaranteeing that Porzingis or Towns—or any of the other listed young big men—will achieve their full potential. There have been flashes of all-time greatness, however, and both players are capable of making it last.
Thankfully for fans of the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the NBA in general, Porzingis and Towns are on the same timeline.
A lot could change between now and the realization of one’s Hall of Fame potential, but Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns are currently changing the NBA.
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