After fouling out late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s Brooklyn disaster, Kristaps Porzingis grew philosophical in the locker room, quoting Franklin Delano Roosevelt proverbs and noting “confusion” reigning on both ends of the court.
In dropping a 120-112 decision to the Nets, the Knicks fell to a season-worst 15 games under .500 at 26-41, clinching a non-winning season. If they were to win their final 15 games, the Knicks would finish at .500.
Teamwork, Porzingis said, is not there in executing the triangle. Porzingis finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and four assists, but his four turnovers were costly, with a late one leading directly to his sixth foul.
“There’s a lot of confusion,” Porzingis said. “A lot of times it’s basically one-on-one. Whoever, me, myself, Carmelo [Anthony], Courtney [Lee], we try to make something happen, and that’s not how it’s supposed to be.”
The Knicks haven’t found a way to make it work.
“We’ve been switching things up because never at any point this season, we played like we wanted to,” Porzingis said. “Maybe this will work. So we are looking for stuff. The coaching staff obviously is trying to do the best job they can to give us the information, but we never got it all together.”
Asked if it was just the offense, Porzingis said: “From top to bottom, everything. A lot of stuff that’s not clear. … [The frustration] is pretty high. Concentration was tough when we’re not doing the right thing and not working together right now. We need to find solutions the next 16 games.”
The second-year, 7-foot-3 Latvian then went FDR on the press corps.
“It’s a tough year, everything,” Porzingis said. “There’s a quote about smooth seas. If the seas are smooth, you’re never going to become a great sailor. That’s how I always take it. It’s a tough year. I’m trying to get better so one day we can make a step forward and win big sometime.”
The former president’s quote was more concise: “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
One of the lone untouchables as their most skilled performer, Porzingis had 10 new teammates this season and probably a lot more on the way next season.
“Something I don’t think about too much,” Porzingis said. “I focus on this moment. It’s going really bad right now, doing the best I can. Hopefully the situation gets better. Once next season comes, it’s a different year, a new life. Right now, we got to keep fighting.
“It’s going to come. I know it if we do all the right things. Right now, it’s a tough situation. We got to do the best we can for now, and that time we can all enjoy it will be.’’
Porzingis provided one of the lone highlights — his insane block on a driving Spencer Dinwiddie during which he actually caught the ball.
Derrick Rose was erratic on both ends. He was 5 of 15 and didn’t attempt a 3-pointer. Making 7 of 8 free throws, Rose finished with 17 points and just two assists. Since Jeff Hornacek started encouraging him to shoot 3s, Rose has taken just two in six games. … Kyle O’Quinn played just 6:04, failing to see the court after he blew a defensive assignment and walked away from assistant coach Kurt Rambis in disgust after Rambis went to talk to him.