Practice Makes Perfect for Precious

Precious Achiuwa's playing time is precious. The New York Knicks backup frontcourt player desperately needs a three-point shot. The Nigerian native averages 30 percent from deep in his career. Achiuwa, understanding the value of a stretch big, was recently seen in a video practicing his three-point shot.

Achiuwa's three-point shooting and charity-stripe numbers make it difficult to play the Knicks center in clutch situations. During the 2024 NBA playoffs, Achiuwa played only six minutes in the clutch after Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a slot opened for Achiuwa.

It's yet to be seen if the backup big can fill such shoes.

Frankly, the Knicks' center depth chart is rather poor at shooting. Although Achiuwa averaged 64 percent with the Knicks last season, Mitchell Robinson is a career 51 percent shooter from the charity stripe.

Defensively, Robinson is the answer, but utilizing Julius Randle playing the situational five-spot sounds like a viable clutch option for Tom Thibodeau when the Knicks need to score.

Nonetheless, Achiuwa's practice of his weaker attributes showcases the Knicks working hard to repeat their regular-season success.

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For Achiuwa to stay on the court, he must stand out in some significant way, and shooting the three-point shot does wonders for his potential to log more minutes.