GREENBURGH, N.Y.—Back in December, following a close Knicks’ loss in which Robin Lopez was manhandled by Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, a glaring question bubbled to the surface: Why didn’t New York at least try Kristaps Porzingis, their talented 7-foot-3 rookie, on Vucevic to slow him down?

“I still need to get stronger to be able to [do that],” Porzingis said at the time. “Robin is more someone who can hold [Vucevic], and I’m more someone who can dance around him and make a steal.”

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