Post#505 » by FlashFlood » Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:52 am
Funny story. I heard Ntilikina played in the first game of preseason, so I decided to buy NBA league pass just to see him play. Then, news broke out that Frank was injured and wouldn't play any more which pissed me off so I didn't watch any basketball. Then RL came along and I forgot about it. Fast forward to today and I saw the Knicks were playing the Rockets, but due to the blackout I couldn't watch the blow out so I decided to watch Frank's debut!
First impression, the kid is 100% comfortable playing the game of basketball. He came out playing rock solid defense and displayed great synergy with Kanter. Any concerns that he isn't a PG are completely unfounded, this kid has natural PG instincts. He was getting to his spots on the wings and running pick and roll like a champ. His pocket passes were quick, sharp, and led to some easy shots which Kanter missed.
His handles are solid, but clearly a work in progress. It's a little high and the ball is a little exposed. Against some of the longer guards in the league, he's going to cough up the ball to pressure once in a while.
His jumpshot looks nice. He shot that ball with confidence and from long range. I'm positive he'll be a serious threat from 3.
Things he needs to work on: Finishing inside. If he's not going to try to dunk on people or do circus layups, he's gotta get a teardrop. Maybe he has one already, idk, but it was not on display that day. The passes to the roll man in P&R were great, but he was going to get Kanter murdered force feeding him down low like that.
Last but not least, this guy can be a serious serious defensive player. I didn't think he was going to be this good, but he was getting around picks at will, he was rotating properly, and his athleticism just lets him cover SO. MUCH. GROUND. This kid is going to strip alot of bad ball handlers going into the paint this year.
At this time, I believe Frank's floor is exceedingly high. It's like you took Shumpert, made him capable of getting around screens, gave him a jump shot AND gave him decent court vision. Kid's going to be a great pro