Part I Film Room: Kristaps Porzingis' Passing and VisionThe Knicks Summer League games in Las Vegas presented us with an opportunity to view Kristaps Porzingis’ skill set for the first time in the United States. Over the past couple of years, Porzingis has been regarded as an intriguing international prospect but his four outings in mid-July provided a glimpse of his complete arsenal.
Below are snapshots of Porzingis’ promising skills with the caveat this is a 19-year old that will need time to build strength, skill, and adjust to the NBA game. One of the perceived weaknesses prior to the draft was his ability to defend NBA caliber players on the block. Let’s take a look at how the rookie adjusted in-game and showed some real potential on the defensive side of the court.
Bully Ball vs. Jahlil Okafor In the highly anticipated matchup against the No. 3 overall pick, Porzingis found himself in a difficult spot trying to defend Okafor in the post. As expected, Okafor used his superior strength to muscle his way to the rim and get the foul call. Note the clock on this specific play, as we’ll see the adjustment in the second half from the Knicks big man.
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Fronting and the Steal vs. Jahlil Okafor Porzingis confirmed to the media that he decided to front Okafor after struggling to deal with his strength. It’s important to point out that the 19-year old made this adjustment on his own without the coaching staff instructing him to make the change. Porzingis uses his long reach to cut off the angle and register a steal.
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Fronting vs. Okafor Clearly, the Sixers want to get Okafor the rock late in the game for a quality shot. Porzingis fronts and forces Okafor to quickly attempt a screen to free his guard or set-up a pick-and-roll.
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Blocks vs. Okafor Now, we look at a series of blocks from Porzingis while defending the ACC Player of the Year. Porzingis swats Okafor on a drive to the rim where he uses the baseline to create an extra defender.
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The Knicks rookie here with good footwork and uses his shoulder to keep Okafor from elevating above him for the jump hook. [[{"fid":"43311","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
Here, Porzingis moves into position to face Okafor while the Sixers center attempts another off the dribble move. Once again, Porzingis displays strength on the initial collision and records the swat.
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The final block on Okafor is especially impressive considering Porzingis comes from behind, reaches over Okafor’s back without committing the foul. Pay close attention to Porzingis' arms as he keeps them locked and straight in the air instead of bending his elbows to reach over Okafor's shoulders. This would certainly be a foul if Porzingis didn't maintain verticality. Additionally, Porzingis stops Okafor’s layup attempt at a crucial moment with the Knicks clinging to a two-point lead and 43.8 seconds left in overtime.
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Block vs. Kyle Anderson Cleanthony Early falls on the screen and is unable to track his man through the lane. Porzingis can see Early is not going to be able to recover and get back to Anderson, so he denies the pass to give him extra time and then in isolation blocks the Summer League MVP.
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Contest vs. Treveon Graham This is a great example of Porzingis using verticality and underrated strength to challenge the shot attempt. If Porzingis is smart with his position on the floor and takes advantage of his extreme length, he can find success on the defensive side of the court until he can add weight, muscle, and his body matures.
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Contest vs. Julius Randle Randle barrels down the lane on this play and the 250-pounder attempts a powerful drive deep into the paint. Porzingis moves up to help Maurice Ndour and again, accepts the contact while challenging the shot. He recovers on the next attempt and shows us an ability to mix it up with the big men in the box.
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Pick & Roll vs. Spurs Let’s shift our focus to good pick and roll coverage from the rookie. In the example below, Porzingis effectively switches on the screen and cuts off the driving lane.
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Pick & Roll vs. Lakers Against the Lakers, Langston Galloway fights through the screen but has to trail his man into paint. Porzingis retreats rapidly, takes the contact, and challenges the shot.
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