In the face of Boston’s defense taking away their first option on Saturday, the New York Knicks offense often reverted to a lot of Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith isolation. Which isn’t good. The Knicks still won, but that was more about the inept Celtics offense in the fourth than what the Knicks offense started doing right.
The Knicks hope that having guard Pablo Prigioni back and starting will change the offensive flow. And he is back and will start in Game 2, reports the New York Post (and other New York media).
Prigioni had been out with a sprained ankle and missed Game 1 of the series.
Prigioni is a 35-year-old NBA rookie who is an experienced international player out of Argentina. He could have come to the NBA long ago but was comfortable and happy playing overseas (he didn’t grow up with NBA dreams like younger generations in Europe did). He plays a very unselfish, European style game, which is what the Knicks need with gunners like Antony and Smith on the roster.
We’ll see how that helps the Knicks, who certainly don’t want to go back to Boston in a 1-1 series and see this as a virtual must-win game.