Damyean Dotson stays prepared and produces for Knicks
Damyean Dotson, No. 21 on the New York Knicks, during game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Oct 3. Credit: Steven Ryan
DETROIT — Damyean Dotson hadn’t seen a second of action in the previous four games.
Dotson, however, said he worked out extra hard to try to simulate the court time he wasn’t getting from Knicks coach David Fizdale. The strategy apparently worked as he was more than ready when Fizdale called his number Tuesday night in the Knicks' 115-108 loss to the Pistons.
Dotson provided one of the game’s few bright spots for the Knicks, scoring 17 points and shooting 6-for-8 in 23 minutes off the bench.
“It was big time. That’s what you call a pro,” Fizdale said of Dotson. “You keep yourself ready. You don’t let yourself get down. When your number is called, you go in there and produce. I’ve said that about Dot all the time. Dot is a big-time pro. He’s a guy that I trust and know is going to be ready.”
Dotson, a decent defender who entered Tuesday’s game averaging 10.1 points, had started nine straight games before he was pulled out of the starting lineup against Oklahoma City on Nov. 14.
Dotson was taken out of the starting lineup in favor of Mario Hezonja, who continued his offensive struggles Tuesday night. Hezonja has totaled 16 points in his five starts. Tuesday night he scored five points, shot 1-for-3 and got into foul trouble.
The Knicks are 3-2 with Hezonja starting despite his shooting 25 percent. When asked at the shootaround why he has stuck with the cold-shooting Croatian, coach David Fizdale talked about the advances the 6-8 Hezonja has made on defense.
The Knicks' Mario Hezonja battles for a loose ball in the first half against the Pelicans' Nikola Mirotic at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
“He’s really competing defensively. His size at that position has been helping us,” Fizdale said. “But he really has been taking the challenge defensively for us.”
Fizdale credited Tim Hardaway Jr. for going out of his way to make Hezonja feel comfortable playing with the starting unit.
“Timmy did a great job of going to him after we made the decision and really pumped him full of confidence,” Fizdale said. “He said, ‘Oh man let’s make this work.’ He said, ‘You’re our most seasoned three man. Let’s see if we can make this work. We’re going to push you to do a good job for us in that lineup.’ I think it helped Mario to get that from Timmy.”
Hezonja, the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, struggled to establish himself his first three seasons in Orlando. Though he had multiyear offers from other teams, he chose to come to the Knicks on a one-year contract. Knicks general manager Scott Perry was part of the staff that originally drafted Hezonja in Orlando.
The Knicks' Mario Hezonja battles for a loose ball in the first half against the Pelicans' Nikola Mirotic at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Hardaway said he wanted to make sure Hezonja was comfortable and has long been a fan of his game.
“I told him he has to be focused, man,” he said. “I said you’re coming into a great position; this franchise and this team is going to embrace you. Definitely just want to see you go out and perform. I know you were down but I said listen, Coach is giving everyone an opportunity and I feel like you deserve this opportunity to start.”
“We’re going to help you get through it and get better in all aspects of your game. Overall, you’re a heck of a player — athletic, touch, can shoot. Just bring that focus each and every day and he’s been doing that."
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
