Donte DiVincenzo might be high-scoring option the Knicks feel they need
Donte DiVincenzo of the Knicks goes to the hoop against the Jazz at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
With the NBA trade deadline a week away there has been no shortage of rumors surrounding the Knicks, and more than a few linking them to high-scoring backcourt options. And while the rumors abound the Knicks have gone on the court and shown that they might have enough right now on the roster. And a large part of that is due to the play of the starting shooting guard, Donte DiVincenzo.
He isn’t mentioned in the All-Star talk and wasn’t even a starter when he arrived in New York during the summer as a free-agent signing. But with Julius Randle and OG Anunoby sidelined the last two games the Knicks have continued their winning ways, stretching the current streak to eight victories, in no small part to the play of DiVincenzo.
With the team needing to make up for the missing pieces, DiVincenzo responded with 28 points, six rebounds and five assists in 42 minutes at Charlotte on Monday. A day later it was 39 minutes and 33 points, including a career-high nine three-pointers, along with five rebounds, four assists and four steals, leading the Knicks to another one-sided win.
The only downside to his expanded role and raised level of play is it means that social media is filled with viral videos of DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson as college roommates at Villanova performing, well, their version of "No Limit" by G-Eazy with Brunson lip-synching Cardi B and, in a harder- to-forget image, DiVincenzo twerking.
But if he keeps performing as needed, Knicks fans — and Tom Thibodeau — will certainly move past that. Thibodeau spoke Tuesday night about what he has learned about DiVincenzo since his arrival — and none of it has to do with the dancing.
“I think his commitment,” Thibodeau said. “I wasn’t around obviously when he was with other teams. But if you look at the way he’s trended throughout his career he usually starts OK and then builds as the season goes along.
“The thing that impressed me as soon as we signed him he was coming in every day putting a lot of time into his shot. I think it was really smart of him to do that. He’s been with different teams. I think feeling good about the way he’s shooting the ball is important. Some of the teammates he’s playing with, I think that helps. The thing I love about him is he doesn’t hesitate. He’s open, he just lets it go. He’s been shooting the ball great, obviously that opens up the floor. He’s making a lot of hustle plays for us defensively as well.”
“His work I think has been consistent,” Brunson said. “It gets better and better every single year. Now that he's growing as a player and then, just the way, the confidence he has no matter what the situation is comes from his work ethic. Seeing that is special and like I said before, it was really cool seeing guys I used to work with almost eight, seven years ago, whatever it was, and seeing where we are now is pretty cool.”
One of the things that DiVincenzo and Thibodeau have in common is that they don’t mind a missed shot as much as they treasure the confidence to let it fly. And while Quentin Grimes was hesitant at times waiting for his chance with the starting lineup, DiVincenzo, who has made 42.6% of his three-point attempts, has no such qualms. Grimes is playing better of late off the bench, another consideration on trade talks. But DiVincenzo is the piece that could eliminate the need for a major move.
“The thing I like about it — all the 50-50 decisions — he doesn’t hesitate,” Thibodeau said. “Very confident. Puts the work in. He worked hard all summer to make sure he was ready for the start of the season. And it sets everything up for him. If they start flying at him, he can put it on the floor. I thought he had good activity defensively as well and he’s good in the open floor. So there’s no hesitation.”
"For sure, I have confidence in my shot regardless,” said DiVincenzo, who entered Wednesday's games eighth in the NBA with 136 three-pointers. “I don’t know what I shot, I don’t care what I shot, because the guys on the court, the coaching staff, believe it’s a good shot. Go back and watch the film, learn: how do I get better looks [and] how do I turn down the good ones to get a great one? . . . But honestly, if I catch and shoot and it’s open I’m going to take it.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
