Donte DiVincenzo for the New York Knicks. Photo via The Knicks Wall
The New York Knicks are in the final stretch of the season, a portion of the NBA campaign which has been derailed by injuries. Jalen Brunson has done what he could to put the Knicks on his back, but with two major starters out, there was only so much he could do. New York has tread water since their two starters went down, going 5-8 since that point.
This feat was only possible due to the Knicks’ extensive bench, a bench which would normally be playing second fiddle to the starters but have been forced to step up due to the injuries. Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein have filled the absent roles as much as they could. And Donte DiVincenzo has stepped up as one of the Knicks’ biggest playmakers.
Donte’s Elite Offense
Donte DiVincenzo has been one of the bright spots for the Knicks all season, but has stepped up in the absence of the starters. He has played 60 out of 61 games for the Knicks this season, averaging 26 minutes played per game. However, that number has shot up as DiVincenzo sees more playing time with the absence of the starters.
At only 27 years old, DiVincenzo is in the prime of his career. He is having arguably the best season of his career, averaging over four points per game more than his career average, at 14.2. Nine of his ten highest-scoring games have all occurred this year for the Knicks. This indicates that his ability to put up big buckets when needed has drastically improved.
But DiVincenzo’s shooting has been tremendous this season. He is shooting 45.1 percent from field goal range and 41 percent from the three-point range this season. Those numbers are considerably higher than his career average of 42.8 and 37.5 percent, respectively.
Playoff Potential
DiVincenzo has demonstrated the ability to put up numbers in big spots when the team needs him. He has become a reliable face that can step up in the wake of the Knicks’ lack of starters. But the long-term plan for New York is to regain the health of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. This would then push DiVincenzo back to the bench.
The question then becomes whether or not DiVincenzo will sustain a big role entering the playoffs. This all depends on the Knicks’ situation entering that time. If they stay afloat enough to secure a top seed in the East, they may choose to give DiVincenzo fewer minutes.
But if New York endures more struggles between now and then, or their starters suffer setbacks, DiVincenzo will be forced to play more minutes. He would therefore retain his value entering the postseason.
DiVincenzo does carry playoff experience, as he was a piece of the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks team that won the championship that year. He is signed with the Knicks for the next three years, as he signed a four-year, $50 million deal with them last offseason.
The reality is that DiVincenzo will most likely see extensive playing time come the playoffs. But the Knicks hope that will be off the bench since they expect to be fully healthy by that point. New York’s playoff hopes will be dependent on their starters’ health and ability to play.
