You don’t expect to sweep a road back-to-back against Western Conference playoff contenders, and rookies aren’t supposed to dominate these games in crunch time. But the Knicks have played their best ball away from home this season, and Kristaps Porzingis is not your average 20-year old.
Behind a 24-point, 14-rebound, 7-block masterpiece from Porzingis, Derek Fisher’s team won its fourth straight game tonight in Houston, 107-103 — its fifth in seven tries on the road. The last time that happened was 15 years ago.
In a game that saw 12 lead changes and 18 ties, the turning point may have come in a wild second quarter, in which the Knicks started 0-for-10 from the field before making 10 of the next 12 shots. Carmelo Anthony attempted just three shots in the first half, but New York had battled back from seven down to lead 58-53. Porzingis was locked in (14 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the first half) and Arron Afflalo had come alive after missing his first six attempts to score eight of his 16 points in the second quarter.
For the second time in as many nights, the Knicks hung on to win despite getting outscored in the paint. Rockets big man Clint Capela started in place of Dwight Howard, giving New York fits on the glass and finishing with 16 points and 14 rebounds. But Porzingis used his length to torment Houston on both ends, drawing Capela’s sixth foul with 5:03 to play; from that point on, Porzingis scored six points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked two shots.
Once again, the Knicks shot well from deep (12 for 25) — Afflalo connected on four 3s, Jose Calderon (11 points, 7 assists) made three, and Langston Galloway and Porzingis hit two apiece.
