Chris Duhon admitted he's feeling added pressure to raise his game at the point guard spot, which is, especially for coach Mike D'Antoni, the most important position on the floor. The Knicks' troubles on offense this season can be directly traced to Duhon's performance. Consider that the former Duke guard was shooting 24.1 percent from the field and an unsightly 19.3 percent from 3-point range (12-for-62). His shot is so off that opposing teams strategize leaving him open, daring him to make a shot. It's actually a pretty good strategy if you consider that Duhon has had three games this season in which he failed to hit a field goal.
On Tuesday, the Lakers opted to not even bother covering Duhon on the perimeter. Teams know they can go under on the pick-and-roll because Duhon rarely looks to shoot. And when he does, it rarely goes in.
"It's tough. I think I just keep adding it on and keep piling it on each game," Duhon said of the pressure. "I think about it too much instead of playing. ... But you've got to find a way. I know in order for us to be good, I have to find a way through it."
Last season at this time Duhon was a dynamo. He was among the league leaders in minutes and, although the Knicks were often shorthanded because of trades and injuries, Duhon just seemed to have a keen understanding of the offense.
Fast-forward a year later, Duhon is not only clanking like a dinner bell, he also looks hesitant to make long passes and isn't nearly as sharp defensively.
Most fans would prefer to see Duhon buried at the end of the bench, but it's not quite that simple. D'Antoni believes Duhon is "our best option to run the team" and, for now, is committed to sticking with him.
Nate Robinson and rookie Toney Douglas aren't playmaking point guards as much as they are shoot-first guards, so Duhon is pretty much all D'Antoni has to use at that position.
"He's a guy that can get up to a level that can bring us back," D'Antoni said. "And we're going to stick there until you can't stick no more."
KINGS 111, KNICKS 97: Another awful shooting performance, coupled by a porous defensive effort, sent the Knicks (3-12) hurtling into a three-game losing streak. Second-year forward Donte' Greene, who came into the game averaging 8.3 points, torched the Knicks with a career-high-tying 24 points, with 6-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. Greene added six blocks and five assists for the Kings, who led by as many as 24 points in the third quarter. David Lee and Nate Robinson each had 25 points for the Knicks, who shot 38.5 percent from the field.
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