The New York Knicks grabbed a huge win on Thursday night over the Boston Celtics behind a strong collective team effort.

Following the game, Celtics All-Star guard Kyrie Irving had some high praise for Knicks rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina's promising play on the court.

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In the last few weeks, Ntilikina has seen some steady improvement in his play on both ends of the floor. Although his offensive production hasn't been consistent through the first quarter of the season, he has been an impact player defensively over that stretch.

The 19-year-old possesses a lengthy body frame and defensive instincts that has lend well him being an effective individual defender. That was put on display against Irving on Thursday night as he was able to stay in front of him while forcing a couple of turnovers in the process. He also hit a couple of key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that played a critical part in keeping the Knicks on top of the Celtics.

Ntilikina has the potential to develop into one of the league's rising stars that could be an effective two-way player. If he can build off his defensive prowess on the other end of the floor, it could lead to him becoming an efficient scorer at the rim while playmaking for his teammates with his passing. The more experience that he gathers over the rest of this season could help push him on the right track toward fulfilling his high level of potential.