Injuries have forced the Knicks to turn to rookie Ariel Hukporti.
They should keep it up.
Hukporti got his chance to play when two big men went down. First, center Mitchell Robinson injured his foot, forcing him to miss the rest of the calendar year, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Then, Precious Achiuwa strained his hamstring in the final preseason game, an injury he’s still recovering from. The Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Towns to resolve their starting lineup.
That roller-coaster left the Knicks with two key backup options: Hukporti and Jericho Sims.
At first glance, Sims looks better than Hukporti. He’s averaging 1.9 points and 3.9 rebounds over 18 game. Hukporti, who has played only seven times, averages 1.6 points and two rebounds.
But advanced metrics tell a different story.
Consider each player’s net rating, which measures a team’s point differential per 100 possessions. It’s calculated by subtracting the defensive rating from the offensive rating, presenting how effective a player is on both ends of the floor. A positive net rating means the team scores more points than it allows.
Sims has a 7.0. Hukporti is 11.5.
True, Sims is a more effective rebounder: He has a 15.5% rebounding percentage compared to Hukporti’s 10.7%.
But look beyond the stat sheet, and you’ll see Hukporti’s impact.
Take, for example, the game on Nov. 15 versus the Nets. Towns was nursing a knee injury, leaving the Knicks shorthanded in their depth at the center position. With three minutes remaining in the first quarter, Hukporti checked in the game and immediately passed to forward Josh Hart in the corner, who made a jump shot.
His impact didn’t end there.
With about a minute left in the first quarter, Hukporti ran a pick-and-roll with veteran guard Cam Payne for his first NBA field goal. On the next possession, Hukporti helped double-team Nets forward Noah Clowney. When Nets guard Ziare Williams went down the middle and attempted a layup, Hukporti blocked the shot.
At the end of the first quarter, Hukporti was alert enough to slide into the right place and snag a deflection once Nets guard Cam Thomas coughed up the ball.
The game is constantly changing in the NBA today, and teams need a big man to pass the ball a lot more. Hukporti has no problem handling the ball off.
By the fourth quarter, coach Tom Thibodeau decided to play Hukporti rather than Sims. Hukporti ended the game with seven points and three assists. By contrast, Jericho Sims had only four points and one assist.
Late in the game, with the Knicks and Nets tied, Thibodeau subbed in Sims to give Hukporti a rest. Sims promptly committed a foul that sent the Nets to the free-throw line.
The coach has been diplomatic when discussing Sims.
“I think Jericho [has] done a really good job for us,” Thibodeau said on Nov. 17, per SNY’s Ian Begley. “When you’re talking about defensive field goal percentage in the restricted, Jericho is very, very high … We need both of those guys to be able to play well and contribute and whoever is going better with that group is going to play a little bit more. But Jericho has done good for us. Hukporti has done a good job. You need everybody.”
Thibodeau is being too kind to Sims. He hasn’t made any significant improvements from last season. When a player averages 14 minutes a game and does not average more than two points, there appears to be an issue.
NBA games are 48 minutes long. The Knicks need someone to step up to relieve Towns and consistently play the role of a big man.
Hukporti is raw and young. But he’s capable of handling all his intangibles.
It’s time for him to become a full-fledged member of the rotation.
