Knicks' Precious Achiuwa: Receives 12 minutes in debut

Achiuwa (hamstring) logged two points (1-4 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-2 FT), four rebounds and one assist across 12 minutes Thursday in the Knicks' 125-101 win over the Hornets.

Achiuwa made his season debut after missing the Knicks' first 21 games of the season due to a left hamstring strain sustained in the preseason finale. Though Jericho Sims was the Knicks' first big man off the bench Thursday, he played just three minutes to Achiuwa's 12. Expect that disparity to grow wider as Achiuwa becomes further removed from the injury, with Sims potentially falling out of the rotation entirely. The Knicks showed a willingness to use Achiuwa last season as a backup option at both power forward and center, but it will likely take an injury to one of the team's starters before he gets enough minutes to make for an appealing pickup in 12-team leagues or shallower.