Kristaps Porzingis has only played with LeBron James in National Basketball Association 2K

"I'm excited to be here", he said.

So despite a low shooting percentage, Porzingis is playing well, and so are the Knicks through the first five games of the season. "I would love to play against my brothers, man", Carmelo Anthony said.

"I've got to be available in those moments", Porzingis said after the Knicks' 96-86 loss to the Cavs. The rookie fully expects to play against the Cavaliers tonight.

The fight may have to be delayed for a few games, as Porzingis is dealing with a strained neck that he suffered in the third quarter of Monday's game when Anthony was cut from under in mid-air and landed on the rookie's head, as Porzingis was scrambling for a loose ball.

Win or lose (with the goal obviously being the former), Knicks president Phil Jackson and head coach Derek Fisher want their team to play a certain way: be defensive minded first and foremost, always give maximum effort, be focused and follow the game plan.

One veteran Knick thinks so.

Yet Fisher mentioned that his developing team has to be even better in that area.

He's also still getting used to the speed of National Basketball Association guards.

"A lot closer", he said. And so if [we] do the things that we practice, we'll be able to get high percentage shots, and that includes Carmelo and everybody, and we'll learn how to do that as we continue to form as a team.

In another missed opportunity, we're left behind as the Shifman staff brings the big Latvian around so he can try out their hand-tufting services that make them a premium mattress company, one that custom crafts the 80′ by 98′ Athletic King Porzingis will rest his tired frame on at night. Porzingis embarrassed LaMarcus Aldridge earlier this week and continued that on Wednesday night against Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers. "But he's competing hard every night". We've just got to figure out a way to win those games.

"For now I think I'm good for tomorrow. You never know what's going to happen, but I hope to impress and play well and then go from there".

Kristaps Porzingis has been a very pleasant surprise for the Knicks - and particularly for the team's followers who booed the fourth-overall pick.