New York Knicks center Joakim Noah has seen inconsistent time on the court this season, often times starting for the team but watching the final minutes down the stretch from the bench.
Perhaps that has to do with his poor free-throw shooting — a career-low 33%. Regardless, Noah understands how much the Knicks depend on him. The Knicks’ success largely depends on how he plays, and in the minds of many Knicks fans, he hasn’t exactly lived up to his lofty four-year contract so far this season.
Whether you agree with that notion or not, the bottom line is, Joakim Noah knows he has to play better. When asked if he wants to be in late-game situations, Noah gave a predictable response:
“I think everybody does,” Noah said (via Mark Berman of the New York Post). “Those are not things I can control. All I can control is my progress. I need to play better and I will. I just got stay working.
“I need to play better and I will.”
Noah’s longtime teammate Derrick Rose praised Noah’s attitude, despite the two not playing together late in games.
“He’s a winner man,’’ Rose said. “Of course it hurts when you want to be out there and he wants to play. It’s not up to him. It’s up to coach. He has a great attitude. He’s still in the game cheering, telling us what to do, what he sees. That’s what you want from a teammate, especially someone as vocal as he is.’’
Joakim Noah has been hit with a series of unfortunate injuries in recent years, and in his return back to the league this season, has averaged 4.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game.
If he wants to gain trust from coach Jeff Hornacek, he knows he’ll need to play better, which includes shooting a better percentage from the free throw line.
