As the New York Knicks commit to a long-term rebuild, fans are actively searching for reasons to be optimistic. Beyond the stellar play of franchise player Kristaps Porzingis, however, Knicks supporters have struggled to sink their teeth into much of anything.
Following the second home game of the 2017-18 NBA regular season, however, Knicks fans are beginning to understand why Phil Jackson drafted Frank Ntilikina.
Ntilikina made his Madison Square Garden debut on Friday, October 27, and immediately won the home crowd over. His defense was the catalyst to New York’s finest defensive performance to date, and his playmaking proved to be the missing piece.