Slowed-down shot paying off for Knicks' Porzingis

[November 10, 2016]  By Philip O'Connor

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For many players in the NBA, speeding up their stroke is the key to getting off their shot in time, but the New York Knicks' big man Kristaps Porzingis is having greater success after slowing down.

The 21-year-old Latvian, who spent the summer working on slowing down his action, buried two consecutive fourth-quarter three-pointers as the Knicks recovered from a slow start to beat the Brooklyn Nets 110-96 at Madison Square Garden.

"I worked a lot on it. Last year, a lot of times when I shot, I didn't take my time, I shot it too quickly and I was not in rhythm," he told Reuters.

Porzingis, who came into the game shooting .433 behind the arc, hit four of eight three-pointers in his 21 points.

Standing seven feet, three inches (2.21 meters) tall, Porzingis said he had decided to make the most of his size advantage when shooting jump shots.

"This year I've just tried to be calm when I've got the ball, because nobody can really block my shot," he said.

The first-round pick from the 2015 draft is one of only five players from last season's post-season roster to return, but even though he is helping new arrivals Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah settle in, he is not ready to call himself a team veteran.

Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) shoots the ball over Houston Rockets forward Ryan Anderson (3) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 130-103. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"Maybe when I'm 25-plus I'll do that, but right now I'm a young guy and I'm still trying to prove myself," Porzingis said, smiling.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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