New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale is determined to play second-year point guard Frank Ntilikina in a runback game against the Milwaukee Bucks after sitting the Frenchman on Christmas Day for the entire game.
“I'm going to get Frank back in there tonight,” said Fizdale, according to Barbara Barker of Newsday.
Ntilikina was visibly upset after not seeing the court, as his mother had flown from his hometown of Strasbourg, France to come see him play at Madison Square Garden. Fizdale didn't put his young point man in, even as the Bucks quickly wrapped up the game by the third quarter.
The 20-year-old has seen anything but consistency during this season, initially getting three DNPs this month of December before being called upon for small minutes as a rotation player.
Fizdale played musical chairs between him, Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke for the start of the season before ultimately phasing Ntilikina out due to his constant struggles and inconsistencies.
The coach noticed his young point guard often loses confidence when missing his first few shots in a game, an incapacitation that has shaken him and rendered him tentative and trigger-shy during his stints on the floor.
Yet Ntilikina has seen anything but consistent trust from his head coach, as he has yet to play 30 or more minutes in a game since Nov. 2, a sure sign Fizdale no longer sees him as a candidate for a decent run within the Knicks' core.
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