The New York Knicks need Frank Ntilikina’s defense in the starting lineup. Even when Frank has gotten extended minutes under Fizdale, his usage was low. If his shots were falling, this would be a no-brainer decision for Fiz.But again, let’s look back to the World Cup. Fizdale has already expressed a desire to let those two handle the ball. The head coach is talking about giving Barrett minutes at point guard and he wants Randle to push the pace as a playmaker off of rebounds.Ntilikina’s role on offense would be mostly as a facilitator, someone to initiate the offense. Frank Ntilikina games with 10+ shots, courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com. Really at that position I’m looking at, are they defending their position at a high level? 22 - Frank Ntilikina . It first happen when the Knicks played the Luka and Mavs When given the time to develop and grow, Ntilikina has proven that he can be a defensive stud for the Knicks. Despite his poor shooting night, Ntilikina made his presence felt in other ways.It’s unfair to completely write off Smith for his lackluster performance. There’s no better perimeter defender on the team than Ntilikina and even as a 21-year-old, he can effectively switch one through four.Ntilikina is the second-best defender on the team behind Robinson and the two can form a stifling inside-outside pairing. He’s showing a much stronger handle and a willingness to be more aggressive. He’s longer than a day without bread and that ridiculous length is what makes him so stifling.Ntilikina makes it so tough to drive with his instincts, quickness, and length. If his offense comes around and his defense remains otherworldly, he could form a mystifying backcourt with Barrett and one of the NBA’s dominant defensive pairings with Robinson. The New York Knicks have defensive all-star in the making. When asked about the point guard competition at media day, defense was the first thing Fizdale mentioned.“I think it’s going to be great competition,” Fizdale said in a cramped room in Tarrytown.
One issue that traditional stats don’t account for is usage. Frank Ntilikina has developed a reputation amongst Knick fans as a “lock down” defender. Ntilikina does get a lot of criticism from Knicks fans, however, his overall game has improved this season. Possession after possession, the Frenchman was super impactful on the defensive end. He has future NBA All-Defensive potential and that’s not hyperbole. Ixelles, Belgium . Are they organizing us while staying aggressive?”If Fizdale wants a point guard who can defend the position, Ntilikina made a case for himself to start with his performance against Young.Ntilikina is fresh off an eye-opening performance at the When we talk about chemistry between teammates, the conversation is almost exclusively about the offensive end of the floor. Through his first two seasons with the Knicks, Frank Ntilikina established himself as one of the most polarizing figures among fans. And make no mistake, Young is going to be one of the best point guards in the league sooner rather than later.In the final four minutes of the game, Ntilikina was draped all over Atlanta’s floor general wherever he went. Latest News: Feb. 12 6:16 PM PT 7:16 PM MT 8:16 PM CT 9:16 PM ET 2:16 GMT 10:16 7:16 PM MST 8:16 PM CST 9:16 PM EST 6:16 UAE (+1) 03:16 21:16 ET 8:16 PM CT 0:16 - Frank Ntilikina went scoreless Wednesday on 0-of-2 shooting as the New York Knicks lost to the Washington Wizards 114-96. Despite starting in the first 14 games of last season, he only started at point guard in nine of those games.For context, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Damyean Dotson were the biggest offensive threats in those starting lineups.