Knicks’ Beasley to the Rescue

Ahead of Thursday’s matchup between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, Kristaps Porzingis is still a question mark. The team’s leading scorer was forced to sit out games against both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Hornets thanks to some knee soreness. Porzingis has dealt with his share of injuries this season which has undoubtedly led to more than a few losses by his team. Yet, in his absence, Michael Beasley has not shied away from a few key moments.

At the beginning of this season Beasley said that he could play at the same level as LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Though not totally accurate, Beasley came out in a few games this season fully believing his statement. Whether or not Porzingis plays on Thursday, the Knicks should look to feature Beasley offensively.

On the season Beasley is averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the 3-point line. Addtionally, he is grabbing 3.9 rebounds and exactly one assist per game. The former lottery pick came up big against both the Thunder and the Hornets. He scored 30 and 23 points, respectively in each of those games. More so he has done it efficiently, shooting 45 percent against the Hornets and 61 percent against the Thunder. These were not Beasley’s only big performances this season.  No matter how you view it, Beasley has been a solid addition for the Knicks.

Now of course these few stellar performances do not make Beasley the new face of the franchise. Not all of his strong outings have resulted in victories for the Knicks. Down the stretch if New York needs a late bucket they should still feed Kristaps Porzingis or even Tim Hardaway Jr. However, Beasley’s hard work should not be ignored. He is a player that can give the Knicks quality minutes and quality buckets throughout the season. For a rebuilding franchise Beasley is the type of player a team should want. He is a veteran with a lot of experience under his belt. In his nine seasons in the league he has gone to the playoffs with the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and most recently the Milwaukee Bucks. He was a solid addition for all of those teams as he has been a solid addition for the Knicks. Looking to make a playoff run, Michael Beasley may be exactly what the Knicks need.