Knicks Guard Must Stay Consistent in Key Area

New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo hopes to remain a strong 3-point shooter.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 19, 2024

Oct 14, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) brings the ball up court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In this story:

New York Knicks

Donte DiVincenzo had his best season yet in the NBA in his first year with the New York Knicks.

It also coincided with his best 3-point shooting season to date, shooting just north of 40 percent. The Knicks will need DiVincenzo to continue close to that rate if the team is going to be among the league's top contenders.

"DiVincenzo is coming off a season where he set a Knicks franchise record for most 3s made in a single season (283) and most 3s in a single game (11)," CBS Sports contributor Jasmyn Wimbish writes. "He shot a career-high 40.1% from beyond the arc and followed that up by shooting an even more absurd 42.5% from deep in the playoffs. DiVincenzo's shooting is key to opening up New York's offense, and while he may switch to a bench role with new additions and players coming back from injury, he could be in the hunt for Sixth Man of the Year."

Even though DiVincenzo is expected to come off the bench rather than start this season, coach Tom Thibodeau will give him minutes if he has the hot hand. If he's making his shots, he is one of the five best players on the Knicks at minimum.

DiVincenzo will have the adjust to coming off the bench rather than starting, but if he can be someone who gets things going with the second unit, he could end up as one of the team's most important pieces.

If he enters the game late in the first quarter or early in the second and is able to stretch Knicks leads, he could help dig a hole too deep for the other team to get out of.

It will likely take time to adjust, but DiVincenzo is one of the best shooters in the NBA, and that should translate regardless of the role he has.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Sep 19, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.