KRIS' IS IT!
Porzingis wields hot hand for 34 in blowout
Kristaps Porzingis was assuredly headed for another careerhigh when Jeff Hornacek showed mercy on Sacramento and gave the 7-foot-3 Latvian an early hook.
In an effortless performance, Porzingis probably could have made it to 50, but Hornacek pulled him with 2:53 left in the third quarter after he notched 34 points in 27 minutes in a 118-91 Garden shellacking of Sacramento.
The Knicks were up 28 points, 88-60, but part of Porzingis wanted to stay in. Porzingis set his career high last week with 40 points.
“Yes,’’ Porzingis said when asked if he was ready to hit another scoring marker. “I felt good today. I wish I played more. But you sit down and cool down and realize it’s the right thing to do. Obviously I wanted to be on the floor. I didn’t want to sit but it’s nice. I’ll have more time to rest.’’
It was the only hard decision Hornacek had to make in their trashing of the Kings that moved the Knicks to 7-5 as Porzingis’ historic season continued.
“The score was getting what it was — let’s get him some rest,’’ Hornacek said. “Maybe a player wants to get his career high. I’m sure KP will get [another] career high probably pretty soon.”
With “MVP’’ chants resounding all night, the 7-foot-3 superstar made it look too easy in his return from a one-game absence due to elbow bursitis and ankle soreness. His bursitis swelled up again after getting pushed to the ground by Kings center Willy Cauley-Stein, whom Phil Jackson wisely passed in the draft for KP. Porzingis said his elbow swelled slightly but calmed down.
“It seems normal for him to just go out there and get [30],’’ Hornacek said. “He can shoot over guys. He made some great passes out of there. We’ll see more of that. That’s when we’ll turn into a really good team when teams start to take it away from him and he kicks it out for easy shots.”
Along with his scoring spree Saturday, a new fad has taken grip at the Garden — “The Unicorn Cam.’’
During a timeout, the Garden scoreboard shows various fans with a unicorn horn. But everyone knows there’s only one unicorn in New York.
Because of Porzingis’ emergence, the Knicks are two games over .500 with the Cavaliers coming to the Garden on Monday, seeking revenge.
Porzingis has scored 30 or more points in eight of his 11 outings in this picture-perfect start to his third season. Porzingis got his 34 on just 21 shot attempts. He was 11of-21, a silky 4-of-6 from 3-point range and 8-of-9 from the freethrow line.
Of course, there was one highlight that stood out.
To end their first-quarter surge from a 10-0 deficit, rookie Frank Ntilikina tossed a high alley-oop feed for Porzingis, who rammed it home with gusto with his right hand in the closing seconds of the period. It was a “Frenchise”-tothe-“Franchise” moment.
“Frank told me he was worried the pass was too high,’’ Porzingis said. “I told him, ‘Just throw it up and I’ll get it.’ The more playing time we get together, the better feel we’ll have and get more of those highlights.’’
Rookie Damyean Dotson, who went on a 14-point garbage-time flurry, said of the Porzingis alleyoop: “Throw it in the air and nobody’s going to get it but him and God.”
Porzingis reached the 30-point mark again with 8:30 left in the third quarter on a 3-point play. By halftime, Porzingis already had 24.
Porzingis missed his season’s first game in Wednesday’s loss in Orlando and said he may need surgery at season’s end. For now it’s not bothering him.
“We’re not going to chop it off — he’s dealt with it before,’’ Hornacek said.
Before the game, Hornacek admitted, “We’re not the most tal- ented group. “We had more talent last year with Carmelo [Anthony] and Derrick [Rose].”
Hornacek then hinted Porzingis wasn’t part of the flow enough in 2016-17, saying “Maybe some guys felt they weren’t involved.’’
Well, Porzingis is involved now and his rising tide is lifting the Knicks’ ship.