Kristaps Porzingis returns for Knicks vs. Golden State Warriors
New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis looks to pass against the Denver Nuggets in the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
SAN FRANCISCO — Kristaps Porzingis has been reluctant to say he hit the rookie wall, but he’s not going to argue with Phil Jackson.
The Knicks president was talking about the team’s skid since being 22-22 in late January, and said Porzingis hit the wall during that time.
“I don’t want to go up against Phil,” Porzingis said on Wednesday. “If he saw me hitting the wall then probably I did. Of course, there were some games that maybe I wasn’t as energetic as I was in the beginning but it’s a long season. I’m just trying to be consistent, trying to bring the same energy, same intensity every game.”
Porzingis will return to the lineup Wednesday night against Golden State after missing Sunday’s game against the Lakers with a stomach illness. He was still bothered by it a little Tuesday and was held out of part of practice, but he said he felt much better.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Porzingis said. “I don’t know if my body’s 100 percent recovered from all that I went through, but I’m feeling good.”
After Tuesday’s practice, Porzingis felt strong enough to make a long shot from the tunnel leading to the locker room on his first try. It’s what Warriors guard Stephen Curry does each home game. Rookie Jerian Grant was trying to make the shot when Porzingis said he could do it.
“I was like, ‘Give me a one try,’ ” Porzingis said. “Made the first one and just walked away.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
