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Tim Hardaway Jr. has slowly started to merit his whopping four-year, $71 million deal in recent outings, the most recent one, a 26-point night that led the New York Knicks to a 106-101 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
The Michigan standout picked up star forward Kristaps Porzingis, as he struggled to the tune of an 8-of-19 night from the floor, making the key bucket — a clutch three-pointer with 32.5 seconds left to give the Knicks a 102-98 lead and take home the eventual win after blowing a 23-point lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Article Continues Below“It was awesome,” Hardaway said, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “Those are the moments you live for; you live for and you dream of when you’re a kid. Come into a grand stadium like this and making game-winners, making go-ahead baskets and playing defense and giving the fans what they want.”
Hardaway's shot-making will prove integral to the Knicks' progress through the season, as the No. 2 scoring option on this team. Taking away a four-point dud in a rout against the Sacramento Kings, Hardaway has scored at least 26 points in three of his last four games, getting his average up to 17.8 points per game while contributing 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game as a starter at the wing.
The 6-foot-6 shooting guard put the game away on a pair of free-throw in what teammate Courtney Lee called a “must-win” after a disappointing loss at Madison Square Garden.
“It says a lot,” Hardaway said. “The desire to win, not taking no for an answer, no excuses, and fighting through fatigue, fighting through adversity.”
