Smith Jr. gets his confidence & his conditioning back
Dennis Smith Jr. has played in nine games since returning to the Knicks after mourning the loss of his stepmother in late November, and the numbers haven’t been very kind to him since he’s been back.
But Knicks head coach David Fizdale says he’s seeing improvements from Smith — who was acquired from the Mavericks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade last February — in the weeks he’s been back with the team.
“I see him playing with a much more clearer head, and with a purpose, and his conditioning is starting to really get there,” Fizdale said ahead of Knicks-Sixers on Friday. “He’s pushing the pace, he’s starting to pick up the ball again, whether he’s defending at three-quarters court. He’s getting his confidence back, and that’s the biggest part of getting him to be where we need him to be.”
Against the Raptors, he shot just 1-of-7 from the field and finished with two points, four assists and two steals.
Smith has had two 13point games this season, tying his high for the year against both the Sixers and his former Dallas Mavericks team. He’s averaging seven points on 38% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from three, along with three assists per game since returning to the team.
Not necessarily good, but an improvement from where he was to start the season.
Smith missed training camp and a portion of preseason with a back injury, and it took him time to get back into game shape. That has been the first step for Smith, whom Fizdale says has to improve his conditioning more than anything.
“I’m just continuing to push him to be confident and to continue to get himself in the best shape possible,” he said. “I think once that happens, that will tell us what the next step is. But other than that, I just feel like he’s a fantastic teammate, he’s coming back after his tragedy, and he’s come back with so much more perspective. He’s been leading, he’s been much more vocal, and I just want him to keep moving.”
The Knicks had better hope Smith keeps moving in an upward trajectory. This is a team that could desperately use some production at the point guard position, production they hoped they’d have on a consistent basis when they acquired him in the Porzingis deal.
Instead, the point guard position has been a revolving door. Frank Ntilikina has been getting the start recently, but only in the absence of Elfrid Payton, who was starting at the beginning of the season until a strained right hamstring sidelined him last week.
Smith is back in the fold, and Fizdale is liking what he sees out of his young guard. He could be the key to keeping this team from drowning after a 4-15 start to the season.