KP holds out hope for 1st All-Star nod
SAN FRANCISCO — Kristaps Porzingis had Knicks coaches place a black iron device inside the rim, making it smaller.
He spent half an hour after Monday’s practice as the last player on the court at the Olympic Club, working on his shot with Knicks assistant Dave Bliss. The device reduced his margin of error and forces him to put more arc on his shot.
“It helps for precision,’’ Porzingis said.
Porzingis’ shot hasn’t been too precise since December, as he’s shot 40 percent. It’s too late to impress the NBA’s coaches, whose All-Star reserve submissions were due Monday morning.
But it’s not too late to finally have a big game against his antagonist Draymond Green on Tuesday at Oracle Arena. Green has had his way with the 7-foot-3 Latvian during his NBA career.
Porzingis has averaged just 11.5 points on 32 percent shooting in his career against the Warriors and has had an angry back-and-forth with Green, who took exception to a rather innocent remark Porzingis made last season.
“He’s a good defender,’’ Pozingis said. “I’m excited. I know he’s going to be physical, like most of the teams. They’re going to be physical. He’s going to be into my body. I just have to watch out. He’s a good stripper, strips the ball.’’
Before facing the Warriors in December of last season, Porzingis said, “I’m ready for him’’ regarding his matchup against Green. Green found it too cocky and said so after the Warriors’ rout. Green said Porzingis’ comment “kind of pissed me off and made me want to go a little harder this game and guard him.’’
Porzingis was hardly trying to stir up trouble this time.
“It was more just like me talking and you guys spin it one way and it sounded different,’’ Porzingis said.
Porzingis would like one thing Green has — an AllStar designation on his résumé. It could happen Tuesday when the reserves are announced. Certainly Porzingis’ shooting slump has eroded an MVP-like start to the season, but he’s still averaging 23 points per game and leading the league in blocked shots (2.5 per).
Despite the Knicks’ record, there don’t seem to be more than three frontcourt reserves of his caliber after Kevin Love, Andre Drummond and Al Horford.
“It would be a dream come true for me, for sure, to be an All-Star,’’ Porzingis said. “I never really thought it was something possible before I made it to the NBA. As I kept playing and kept growing as a player I just always set higher goals for myself.
“I could’ve done many things better to be there and to deserve it clearly. I’m learning. I’m still learning, growing. I’m only going to get better from this point on. Going to keep getting better.”
Coach Jeff Hornacek would be very surprised if the coaches don’t send him to Los Angeles for the AllStar Game.
“I think he’ll make it,’’ Hornacek said. ‘I think he deserves it. He’s played great this year — to be put in a situation with the team as now being the main guy, a team that wasn’t supposed to be great because of the turnover. For the most part this year, he’s been our top guy and led us to be in the hunt.’’