NO THANKS
Surprise! KP shot catches Jeff off guard
GETTY
APHOTO of Kristaps Porzingis shooting on a basketball court was worth a thousand questions that the Knicks weren’t prepared to answer. Porzingis, who last week vowed to return better than ever next season following major knee surgery in February, was recently photographed in a gym inside his Manhattan apartment complex.
“Technically I don’t know what he’s allowed to do from the doctors,” Jeff Hornacek said. “Once you have a surgery like that — I had not that extensive of a knee surgery — you want to get out there, you want to shoot.
“I’m sure he’s being smart about that stuff. If you’re just standing there shooting that’s not going to have any effect. As far as I know there’s no basketball things he’s involved with.”
JUST DON’T ASK
Joakim Noah’s status remains a sensitive topic with the Knicks. When a Chicago reporter asked about the former Bulls center, Hornacek did his best to avoid giving a detailed answer.
“That’s stuff that we went through as a team,” Hornacek said. “The team now is heading in a different direction and things happened.”
WELL-EARNED HONOR
The Knicks honored Army Staff Sergeant Alfredo De Los Santos and his daughter Josely De Los Santos, presenting Josely with a $10,000 scholarship.
SSG De Los Santos, honored with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, retired after being wounded in Afghanistan in 2008. He lost his leg and is now an amputee. During recovery, SSG De Los Santos discovered hand cycling and has gone on to pursue it professionally, participating in cycling marathons and competitions yearround. He competed and placed 4th at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. It’s just who he is,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said of Carroll. “He’s not a takeover-the-game guy. He does what is necessary to win a ballgame. I thought his will helped us.”
Andrew Harrison, who missed Memphis’ last nine games due to a right wrist injury, scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half but missed a potential tying 3-pointer before the final buzzer. The Grizzlies have lost 20 of 21.
“I should have pushed the ball up,” said Harrison, who was playing for the first time since Feb. 28. “It’s all one me. All on me.”
Brionte Webber scored a career-high 15 points for the Grizzlies, who were without Marc Gasol due to flu-like symptoms. The team has lost 15 straight games on the road since a Christmas Eve victory at Sacramento.
The Nets trailed, 94-87, heading into the fourth quarter before turning it around against the Grizzlies, who dropped to 19-51, one game behind league-worst Phoenix, which had the night off.
Carroll capped a string of three straight 3s to tie it at 97 with 8:45 remaining in the final period. After a three-second defensive technical free throw by Harrison gave the Grizzlies a 101-100 lead with 6:54 left, the Nets scored nine straight points highlighted by LeVert’s dunk.