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The New York Knicks were on a downward spiral this season, with the stakes in the NBA Draft higher than ever since they had a chance to land the next star to grace the NBA, Zion Williamson.
The Knicks were expectedly horrible, finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference and had the worst record in the whole of the NBA, with 17-65. They had a budding superstar in Kristaps Porzingis, whom they traded away in the final days of the trade deadline, so as to get the cap space for offering huge contracts to two established superstars in the free agency.
Even with all of these incidents taking place and sending them plummeting to the bottom, there were still some special moments that the Knicks fans could cherish this season. Without further ado, here are the top 3 individual performances from the players on the Knicks roster for the 2018-19 NBA season:
#3 Kevin Knox against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden
Kevin Knox was drafted #9 by the New York Knicks in the 2018 NBA Draft. Standing at 2.06m (6'8) and with a wingspan of 2.12m (6'11), this small forward was heralded to be one of the stars of the future.
With an explosive and already developed offensive game, Knox was a force to reckon with in the summer league, where he first showed himself off as a solid prospect, making Knicks fans giddy with joy.
His NBA start never took off really, as he struggled to replicate his game in the summer league in the NBA, hitting the proverbial rookie wall early. But his game improved slowly and he was turning in better offensive scoring nights, though his defensive game was not there yet.
Knox had the best game of his young career against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Knicks' 3rd game of the regular season, at the Madison Square Garden. He exploded for a career-high 31 points against star players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and almost led the New York Knicks to an upset win over the 76ers, who lost out in the end, 105-108.
His stat line was an impressive 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals, having shot with an accuracy of 52.2% from the field after taking 23 shots. He also buried 4 of his 3-point attempts in 44 minutes on the court in what was his best game in the Knicks jersey in his rookie season.
Knox will look to move forward from a rookie season that was tough for him as he struggled to get used to the rigors of the NBA. The only way is onward and upwards and the Knicks fans will be hoping he develops into a star sooner rather than later.
Final stat line: 31 points, 12-23 FG, 4-9 3FG, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 TOs in 44 minutes in a 105-108 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers
#2 Emmanuel Mudiay against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Madison Square Garden
Emmanuel Mudiay was selected as the 7th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, who felt that he would develop into the point guard that would lead them towards a brighter future. Alas, that was not to be.
Denver quickly soured on him and he was shipped to the New York Knicks in February 2018, in a 3-team trade. The 2018-19 NBA season turned out to be a breakout year for the young guard, who is still just 23 years old.
He averaged a career-high 14.8 points, shooting a solid 44.8% from the field and playing in 59 games for the Knicks, he averaged 27.2 minutes per game. He had somehow reinvented himself with the Knicks.
Mudiay had one of his best games in the NBA in a huge last-minute win over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won the match, 124-123 and had Mudiay's passing and his sharpshooting skills to thank.
Mudiay was on fire, scoring 28 points and was shooting an absurd 72.7% from the field. He also shot 75% from beyond the arc too. He was an excellent facilitator of the ball, managing to dish out 8 assists and a block in just 33 minutes.
Mudiay has been just an afterthought for the past 2 seasons in the NBA but his emergence as a player who can deliver when it matters has made teams sit up and take notice of his performances. Hopefully, he can keep his form going into the next season as well.
Final stat line: 28 points, 8-11 FG, 3-4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block and 4 TOs in 33 minutes in a 124-123 win over the Los Angeles Lakers
#1 Mitchell Robinson against the Orlando Magic at the Madison Square Garden
Mitchell Robinson has easily been the most exciting player on the New York Knicks' roster, ever since his emergence this year. He was drafted at #36 in the 2nd round by the Knicks and they seemed to have nailed this pick.
While his offensive game is rough, his raw potential is just too much to ignore. He has already established himself as one of the premier rim protectors in the NBA, even though he gets into a lot of foul trouble.
His long yet sturdy frame keeps in contention with stronger big men in the paint and can be a weapon while playing offense as well. Standing at 2.16m (7'1) with a 2.24m (7'4) wingspan, he showed just how good of a player he can become against the Orlando Magic.
Mitchell was on fire at the Madison Square Garden, putting on a show for everyone in the crowd and for those tuning in on their TV sets. He not only managed to keep the playoff-bound Orlando Magic stars quiet, but he also had a monster night on the offensive end.
He poured in 17 points in 33 minutes, shooting 67% from the field. He even had himself 14 rebounds and was unstoppable on the boards. His game on the defensive end was his very best, with him grabbing 3 steals and swatting a massive 6 shots away in a defensive masterclass.
Robinson is probably their better young player from the NBA 2018 Draft and the Knicks staff as well as their fans should be excited to see what sort of a player he can develop into.
Final stat line: 17 points, 6-9 FG, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 6 blocks and 0 TOs in 33 minutes against the Orlando Magic, winning 108-103.
