SAN ANTONIO _ Playing with Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose, Kristaps Porzingis hasn't had the opportunity to be the focal point of the offense. He had that chance Thursday night, and Porzingis was disappointed with his performance.
The results weren't what Porzingis or the Knicks wanted. He shot poorly and they lost by 15 to the Blazers.
But the experience was good for the Knicks' second-year big man and future franchise player as well as some younger guys who received heavy minutes with Rose (foot), Anthony (knee) and Lance Thomas (hip) all out. All three could return Saturday when this four-game trip ends against the Spurs.
"I'm trying to learn how to be the guy, how to be the focal point," Porzingis said after the game. "Make a play or create a shot for myself. I'm still working on that. I still have a lot to learn. That's one thing as I keep growing as a player I'll have to learn and be better at."
You can't judge Porzingis off of one game, especially since the Knicks started three rookies and played five in all. But there is going to come a point _ perhaps next season _ when the Knicks will be Porzingis' team.
Anthony's and Rose's future as Knicks certainly aren't as solid as Porzingis' is.
With the Blazers' defense focusing on him, Porzingis missed his first five shots. He finished 8 for 21 (0 for 5 from 3-point range) with 18 points. But he was a minus-16.
"I felt comfortable out there," Porzingis said. "I felt good out there. I just missed shots. That's what's disappointing. It happens. Honestly I'm thinking about getting back in the gym right now. It's so disappointing. It feels like with not making a lot of shots, I let myself down and I let the team down."
Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said Porzingis "double-clutched" too much and should have gone right up with his shot. But he believes he will learn from this. Hornacek also said it showed how difficult it is to become go-to guys the way Anthony and Rose have been in their careers.
"Those guys are great one-on-one players," Hornacek said. "When they try to take something away from them on a set offense, they can create their own stuff. That usually takes you a few years in the league to figure it out. KP, he'll get there.
"Right now it's more helpful and beneficial if someone can make a play or set a good screen for him and let him come off that way. That's part of the growing process, part of the learning process for him. You can look back three years from now and say that's where he got that practice _ he'll be good."
Porzingis said he needs to work on his post game all the way around. He said he needs to gets stronger and to have Anthony's vision. Anthony can see the double-team coming and he makes his decision to shoot, drive or pass depending on that. Porzingis said all he sees is the defender and the basket.
He says these are among the things he talked about with team president Phil Jackson.
"He knows everything about basketball," Porzingis said. "Whenever I have a question, whenever he has something to say to me, I listen to him, try to learn as much as I can."
Porzingis watches film of himself all the time to see what he can do better, and he said he "always" finds things. He puts in the extra work because he's determined to become a franchise player.
"There's so much to learn," Porzingis said. "I'm still growing, still learning my game, trying to find what type of player I'll be at the very end. There are things that I can do and all those things I have to keep working at to become a complete player."
