New York Knicks: Courtney Lee Suffers Ankle Injury Against Minnesota
New York Knicks starting shooting guard Courtney Lee suffered an ankle injury against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Find out more below.
The New York Knicks have been able to rely upon Courtney Lee for consistent production in 2016-17. He steps up with quality numbers in the first quarter, defends multiple positions, and often makes at least one big shot during the fourth quarter.
During the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, November 30, the Knicks may have lost one of the most valuable contributors on the roster.
Lee is currently averaging 9.6 points per game on 43.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc during the 2016-17 NBA regular season. He continued to build upon that success against Minnesota with seven points and three assists in just eight minutes.
Unfortunately, Lee’s night was cut short when he suffered an ankle injury in the first half.
Thankfully, it’s a sprained left ankle and not a more severe injury.
Lee is currently No. 4 on the Knicks in scoring, but his impact ranges far beyond the numbers. He’s a clutch shooter and underrated facilitator who has been vital to maintaining a steady flow on the offensive end of the floor.
Defensively, he may not always lock players down, but he does an excellent job of defending multiple positions and rotating when his teammates fail to.
To lose Lee would be to lose one of the most influential players on the roster.
The Knicks currently have a net rating of -1.8 when Lee is on the court and -7.4 when he comes off the floor. The only players whom New York is worse without are Derrick Rose at -8.1 and Carmelo Anthony at -8.6.
In other words, the Knicks rely heavily on Lee to be a stabilizing force on both ends of the floor.
Though he won’t return to Wednesday’s game against Minnesota, it’s encouraging that Lee’s injury was a sprain instead of what could have been a more devastating outcome.
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