Team Latvia plays in a very different style to the Knicks, but the set up is what many fans have been crying out for. Kristaps Porzingis starts at the five, with smooth-shooting Spur Davis Bertans starting at the four. The Latvians play a spread-out style, using Porzingis in plenty of pick and pop situations. 

It's not easy for him having all the defensive attention centered around him, but he's been given room to move. It's clear that he's gotten better over the off season, and perhaps the most exciting thing is the addition of his dirty in-and-out dribble into a pull-up.

Serbia put Boban in to guard Porzingis OH NO YOU DONT. YACK EMM ???? pic.twitter.com/BtBoBgkNd0

— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) September 1, 2017

There were a few Instagram stories over the summer where we saw Porzingis just doing constant in-and-out dribbles between cones before getting the pull-up right at the elbow. It's certainly something that he's going to be able to use often for the Knicks, and it's encouraging as he's going to have to start creating a lot more offense for himself off the dribble.

Porzingis has still got that super-quick release from behind the arc. He was ultra impressive against Serbia and perhaps could have racked up plenty more points if not for his predictable foul trouble.  

Finished just 7-of-16 but some unicorn moments for Kristaps Porzingis vs Serbia. Only 7-3 big on the planet with an in & out cross pull up. pic.twitter.com/NeoBp6XoG4

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) September 1, 2017

His handle has clearly improved over the off-season, and it looks like he's using that to get into a number of different combinations. We got a tiny preview on Instagram of the in and out. He's also been working on a little Carmelo Anthony rip-through into a pull-up that looks like it's going to be money.

 

yesterdays work ???? #offseason @adidashoops

A post shared by Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) on Jun 9, 2017 at 9:13am PDT