Luke Kornet’s big chance with the Knicks has arrived

INDIANAPOLIS — While rookie center Mitchell Robinson can jump to Pluto, Luke Kornet can’t jump at all.

At least not according to Knicks coach David Fizdale. When asked if the 7-foot-1, second-year brainiac out of Vanderbilt is a sneaky shotblocker, Fizdale said: “He’s got good anticipation. He can only jump over an envelope, but he’s got those long arms and a lot of anticipation. He’s going to be mad I said that because he got a tip dunk [Friday].’’

Kornet, in a spectacular second half, did almost everything to help create Friday’s huge 126-124 overtime victory against the Hornets.

With Robinson out Sunday and expected to miss multiple games after sustaining yet another left ankle sprain, it is officially Kornet’s time to show he deserves to be here next season. Call him “The UniKorn.”

The 24-year-old signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract in July after being the Knicks’ two-way G-League player last season.

Kornet survived as the Knicks cut Ron Baker instead to make way for Allonzo Trier’s entrance onto the 15-man roster, and Fizdale said he would slot in Kornet to finally give him a legit chance.

The 3-point shooting big man played 24 minutes in Charlotte, one minute more than he had all season. He collected 13 points, all in the second half and OT. He blocked three shots, notched two steals, grabbed six rebounds, was a plus-19 and hit his first three 3-pointers of the season.

“It was great to spend more time and get the legs under you,” Kornet said. “I’ve been doing it in the G-League and practice and tried to stay ready for it. I didn’t feel I lost [my 3-pointer].”

The Knicks have been so infatuated by the 20-year-old Robinson’s athleticism since drafting him with the 36th pick that Kornet got lost in the shuffle. Kornet played 10 G-League games while the organization refused to give Robinson, a full-blown project, even one.

General manager Scott Perry is keen on adding athletic demons, but Robinson is one-dimensional right now. He won’t shoot a jump shot and is foul prone. Unless he’s blocking and altering shots, he’s not a factor. Before he landed badly after a rebound, Robinson had skied for a beautiful alley-oop dunk.

But the frail ankles are a definite issue. He missed preseason games with an ankle sprain and left the season opener after playing one minute with the same sprain.

What Friday proved is it’s too early to give up on Kornet, who was cited across the locker room for having the team’s highest basketball IQ. No wonder former president Phil Jackson gave him a two-way deal after he went undrafted in 2017.

“In that first half it was like every single guy that got the ball was like, ‘I’m going to take this shot, it’s my turn,’’’ Fizdale said of the 72-53 deficit at halftime. “I went off on them in a timeout about sharing the game. I threw Luke in there, and Luke is a natural at getting the ball to another guy and getting to another pick-and-roller.”

The Knicks were willing to trade Willy Hernangomez last season because Kornet, a 3-point threat, better resembled a modern center. Hernangomez lost his rotation spot to Frank Kaminsky recently and did not play in two games against the Knicks in six days.

Point guard Frank Ntilikina is listed as probable for Sunday after leaving in the third quarter with a mild ankle sprain in Charlotte. … Indiana alums Noah Vonleh and assistant Keith Smart attended Saturday’s Indiana-Butler game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and were joined by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Friday hero Emmanuel Mudiay. Team president Steve Mills was on hand, too, watching Indiana lottery pick candidate Romeo Langford.

Hardaway on the Knicks’ decision to play zone in second half: “We realized they were getting anything they wanted man-to-man, so we went zone and made sure we got our hands wide. It really helped us communication-wise, to get deflections.”

New Pacer Kyle O’Quinn has to regret opting out of his final year with Knicks. The Queens product received a $200,000 raise, but he’s out of the Pacers’ rotation. He’s played 15 games and is on pace for the fewest minutes of his seven seasons. O’Quinn has logged 104 minutes compared to 1,387 last season.

Hardaway said the Charlotte win was in honor of Baker and his team spirit.

“We lost a brother in Ron and just his excitement and willingness to show on the bench he cared and cheered his teammates on,’’ Hardaway said. “That’s what we tried to do today first and foremost.”

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