Mike Vorkunov: Frank Ntilikina won’t play tonight because of a groin injury, Knicks say. Isaiah Hicks will play.
More on Frank Ntilikina Injury
Al Iannazzone: Ntilikina (illness) will not play vs Pistons. O'Quinn starts at center with Kanter out and Troy Williams is starting at small forward.
Emmanuel Mudiay is a penetrating point guard who can set up his teammates, which is something the Knicks need. He’s averaging 9.7 points and 5.0 assists in three games with the Knicks. But the Knicks also need to see what Ntilikina can do with significant minutes. He’s only 19 and if his offense catches up with his defense, he could prove to be a find. When the Knicks were winning early in the season, Ntilikina was closing games. His defense was critical. But Jeff Hornacek went away from that because he felt Ntilikina “hit a little bit of a wall.” Hornacek also noted that the tendinitis in Ntilikina’s knee limited him, and the Knicks were trying to be smart and not play him heavy minutes.
“[Frank Ntilikina] just looked exhausted sometimes,” Jeff Hornacek said. “His knee hurt for a while there, and that’s stuff we have to build up. And again, this is going to be a great last 23 games for him because, we’ll see, can he play the 30 minutes without his knees hurting? Part of that is growth. He’s young. But these last two practices, we’ve had hard practices, guys are going extremely hard. And he’s looked really good and he’s not complaining about any knee issues so the rest may have done him some good.”
However, Ntilikina reported his knee started hurting not on just one play, but an ailment that has brewed “over time.’’ The Frenchmen still hoped to be back for Tuesday’s game against the Bucks at the Garden. “It’s been like a month,” Ntilikina said. “It [felt] a little sore. Now it feels a little more sore. It will be all right.”
Ian Begley: Frank Ntilikina didn’t play in 2nd half due to knee soreness. He said it’s unrelated to knee issues that sidelined him in summer league/preseason. “It was just over time. It’s been like a month, I feel my knee a little sore. Now it was a little more. It’s going to be all right.”
Frank Ntilikina’s rookie season took another turn in the wrong direction when he twisted his right ankle in Tuesday’s practice and missed his third game in the Knicks’ 115-86 win over Miami on Wednesday. It was the same ankle that sidelined him after the season opener for two games. Ntilikina, 19, said the injury isn’t related to his severe ankle sprain that occurred the day after the Knicks lost in Oklahoma City when he went sprawling to the court. Nevertheless, coach Jeff Hornacek said once an ankle is twisted like it was last month, it probably wouldn’t have healed 100 percent by now.
New York Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina is expected to play Friday against the Brooklyn Nets after missing the previous two games with a left ankle injury. Ntilikina injured his ankle during practice last Saturday and returned to practice without limitation on Thursday. The ankle injury was the latest in a series of ailments that has limited the 19-year-old early in his career.
Tommy Beer: On MSG broadcast, Frank Ntilikina says he is ankle is feeling “a lot better” and he thinks that he will be back “in the next couple days.”
Jeff Hornacek says Frank Ntilikina will not play on Tuesday against Boston due to an ankle injury. Ntilikina missed most of practice Monday but Hornacek said the rookie's lateral movement has improved and the Knicks hope to have him back for Friday's game against Brooklyn. Ntilikina has missed two games with the ankle sprain, which he suffered in practice Friday. He missed the final four games of the preseason with a knee contusion and the entire summer league with a similar injury. Hornacek said the organization isn't worried about Ntilikina, whom they selected with the No. 8 overall pick, being injury-prone. The coach said the 19-year-old's ailments are a result of playing with maximum effort. "He's playing as hard as he can .... I can't complain about that."
Ntilikina, who the Knicks took with the No. 8 pick, rolled his ankle when he was boxing out Willy Hernangomez during a four-on-four game Friday. Ntilikina laid on the floor and had to be helped to the locker room. He said he’s “a little bit upset” he can’t play, but he was relieved it’s not that serious.
Ntilikina said it didn’t swell up much over night. He ran during shootaround but he had trouble going side-to-side. He hopes to play Tuesday at Boston. “It’s nothing serious,” he said. “On the play I felt it a lot. Ten minutes after I was OK . . . It’s not as bad as it can be. I was a little bit scared about it. After the night I was confident it wasn’t very serious.”
Stefan Bondy: Source said Ntilikina simply turned his ankle and is feeling much better while getting treatment. Knicks listing him as questionable for Sat
During a competitive game of 4-on-4, Ntilikina hobbled off the floor before going to the ground, clutching his left ankle. The Frenchmen was clearly in a lot of pain and stayed down for several minutes. “Looked like I thought he maybe stepped on Willy’s [Hernangomez] foot,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said shortly after the incident. “[Frank] went to box him out and it looked like he stepped on his foot. Hopefully it’s not too bad.”
Barbara Barker: @Frank Ntilikina looks like he badly turned left ankle.
Ian Begley: Barring some unforeseen setback, both Frank Ntilikina (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (hip) will play in the Knicks' season opener Thursday.
Ian Begley: Frank Ntilikina (knee) didn't participate in contact portions of practice today. Kristaps Porzingis participated in all of practice.
Porzingis, who has a sore hip, practiced on a limited basis with the team Thursday. Ntilikina, who has a bruised right knee, missed his second straight day of practice though he did shoot on his own for an extended period. Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek did not rule out an appearance by either player but sounded as if he’s inclined to hold both out so they are ready to go for the regular-season opener Thursday at Oklahoma City.
Ian Begley: Ntilikina (knee) did not practice today. Porzingis (hip) was limited to non-contact portions of practice. Noah (illness) did not practice.
The hope is Ntilikina, the eighth pick in June’s draft, will return to practice in the next few days and get on the court for the preseason finale Friday against the Wizards at the Garden.
Al Iannazzone: Knicks won't have Porzingis, (hip), Ntilikina (knee), Kuzminskas (calf), McDermott (finger) tonight vs. Rockets. But Ron Baker is available
Al Iannazzone: Porzingis will play tonight. Ntilikina is out tonight and it sounds like tomorrow too with a bruised knee.
Al Iannazzone: No Ntilikina tonight in D.C. and it sounds like he may miss the next preseason game Sunday at Nets.
Al Iannazzone: Hornacek said Ntilikina won't play tomorrow. He doesn't think it has anything to do with summer knee issue. Said he banged knees with Enes.
Alan Hahn: Ntilikina missed practice today with a sore groin. Doesn’t sound serious, but needs to show durability. Missed SL with sore knee. #Knicks
Frank Ntilikina was on the court running and doing some light shooting before the game, and working out after it. Ntilikina’s bruised right knee is improving but there is no guarantee he will play in one of the Knicks’ remaining two summer league games. The Knicks’ first-round pick hasn’t played in their first three — all losses.
