New York Knicks: Jeff Hornacek Pulled A Gregg Popovich
New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek pulled a Gregg Popovich against the Golden State Warriors—and it was the right thing to do.
Coming off one of their toughest losses of the season against the Phoenix Suns in overtime on Tuesday night, the New York Knicks continued their West Coast trip against the now 23-4 Golden State Warriors.
Prior to the game, the Knicks announced that Rose would sit out another game with tightness in his back. Later, the Knicks announced that Anthony would sit out for shoulder soreness, which is likely a cover up for, “Rest.”
From Hornacek’s perspective, this was a smart move.
Rest Carmelo Anthony
Over the past few games, Carmelo Anthony has been playing some of the worst basketball of his career. He’s struggling to find his shooting touch. Some are beginning to speculate on just how much Anthony has left in the tank, but I think Phil Jackson’s, “Ball hog,” comments are more influential in Anthony’s cold streak.
Over-thinking? Very possible. Hopefully resting Anthony will give him the edge he needs to return on Saturday and play great basketball.
Kristaps Porzingis As The No. 1 Option
Whether Hornacek had this in mind or not, sitting Anthony and Rose set the stage for Kristaps Porzingis to be the No. 1 scoring option on the Knicks. Unfortunately, going up against a potential Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green, it didn’t work out well.
In 35 minutes, KP put up eight points and five rebounds in 35 minutes. Nevertheless, KP going up against one of the league’s best defenders, on the league’s best team, is crucial experience.
This is also a wake up call for those who question Anthony’s importance to this team. Even if he ‘ shooting poorly, Anthony is the No. 1 priority for a defense. This allows KP to play off that, get to his spots, and produce at a high level.
Without Anthony (or Rose), KP is the focal point of the defense, which doesn’t bode as well for him at such a young age.
Quality minutes for the reserves
Since two of the three Knicks stars sat out against Golden State, other players were forced to play quality minutes against a quality opponent. Ron Baker must have heard the criticism over his performance against the Suns, because he played much better last night.
In 23 minutes, he put up 13 points, two rebounds, three assists, and a +/- of +8. His performance earned a congratulatory pat on the back from Kevin Durant.
Ron Baker is up to 7 points on @NBAonTNT (3/3 FGM)#NBARapidReplay pic.twitter.com/CXqXmB46Ei
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2016
Ron scoring 13 points—talk about a Baker’s Dozen.
Justin Holiday, who was a member of Golden State’s championship winning team in 2015, poured in 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, and a +/- of +6 in 23 minutes of play. For someone who was “thrown into” the trade for Rose, Holiday has been a formidable role player for the Knicks. S
Similarly, Willy Hernangomez put up eight points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and a +/- of +9 in just 21 minutes. For another typical “European” signing by Phil Jackson, Hernangomez has showed incredible footwork with his back to the basket.
The Verdict
Hornacek gave quality minutes to his reserves against a championship-caliber team, and they responded by keeping the game close for a majority of the game. The foundation for this Knicks team is being built in front of our eyes, and despite what transpires for the rest of this season, fans can finally look forward to a brighter future.
Porzingis is 21, Hernangomez is 22, Kyle O’Quinn is 26, Holiday is 27, and Brandon Jennings is 27.
If Rose can get healthy and stay healthy, and Anthony can find his shooting stroke again, the Knicks could be a scary team down the road.
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