Hornacek - 4 Years As A Head Coach, 1 Winning Season...

[bobhait]

oh, and get rid of Rambis, bring in a real defensive coach

[KnicksFanInSouthFL]

Jeff Hornacek don’t plan on tanking for better Knicks lottery pick even though playoffs are out of reach

The Knicks won’t go into full tank mode — at least not yet.

After falling to the NBA-worst Nets for the second time in five days on Thursday, the subject of tanking hangs over the Garden and has received a somewhat mixed reaction inside the Knicks’ locker room.

Last season got to the point where Carmelo Anthony asked then-head coach Kurt Rambis to give the younger guys a chance.

When asked if he’d do something similar this season, Anthony said “maybe.”

“As we start winding down to the end of the season I think it’s a conversation to have,” Anthony said. “But until then, we got to get going on this road trip, get through this road trip and see what happens after that.”

While Anthony left the door open to sitting out games down the stretch, he did also say he felt it was his “duty to still come out and play and try to win.”

Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, scoffed at the idea of sitting out games when asked a similar question before the game.

“No, no. What are you talking about,” Porzingis asked. “If I’m healthy I want to be out there.”

Porzingis wasn’t healthy Thursday night as he sat out with a bruised thigh.

The 7-3 forward expects to be back for the Knicks’ West Coast trip, which starts against the Clippers on Monday.

“I’m already feeling better,” Porzingis said. “So just one or two more days.”

Porzingis especially would like to finish out the season because he has been so injury-prone throughout his first two seasons.

The Knicks forward began his career with questions about his body type and durability and eventually missed 10 games his rookie season due to injuries, including the final seven games with a shoulder injury.

Porzingis has now missed 10 games this season, too.

“This is the tough part now, to finish the season,” he said. “For me, the mindset is just going out there every day and giving my all. That way once the season is over you have no feeling of regret.”

While Porzingis hopes to finish the season strong and healthy, Jeff Hornacek wants to use the final 13 games as a building block for next year.

“We’ll continue to play like we do,” said Hornacek, who conceded on Tuesday the Knicks will not make the playoffs. “If something comes down from management or if something happens then we’ll change.

“I think all us coaches assume all the guys will be back for next year,” he said. “We have to do a couple things now to see if we can build something next year. (The starters) might be in there at the end of the season or we’ll take those guys out but for now we’ll play as is.”

Glad to read that Putback-P is still invested in the season... Or, could it be that he's smart enough to see an incoming high lottery pick as a threat to the Porzingis Brand?

[Don Che]

Whoever played or competed in anything at a professional level you kno KP is gonna wanna be out there. He's 21 years old..if he said he wanted to sit I'd be worried.

Melo is in a totally diff stage of his career and will be requesting a trade I'm sure.

Sit Melo....Sit Rose

and let KP run wild against good comp before the season ends...to give a clear indication to him what he needs to work on moving forward.

but as for what KP said..hes saying exactly what a professional athlete at his age would say...those guys have to be mentally engaged to win at all times..that sh*t doesnt turn off. Theres a reason why they are there and we are at work/home talking about them.

[rebound]

yea phil has brought in some terrible coaches. horny is another lameduck coach and rambis is the new herb williams.

[Don Che]

Fisher was a solid coach

Jeff is a solid coach

Phil just needs to let them coach and let them be the main voice they hear.

How are you gonna listen to your boss when his boss under minds him?

Theres no doubt Fisher would of had Grant starting with Rolo and us inthe playoffs right now...but I'd rather be where we are now because we need younger talent still.

Rambis sucks but Jeff and Fisher arent bad coaches.

[taowave]

Don,what makes you say Hornacek isn't a bad coach?

Not saying he is,but all signs point in that direction..

Of course,we could simply blame it on Phil.

[bobhait]

tao, never mind that - what would make anybody say Fish is a good coach?

[thewatcher]

Derrick Rose was a hail mary to give melo a shot at a playoff run that failed.
Noah was a fumble on the opening kick of the superbowl
Phil Jackson has failed miserably, but that is the winning strategy.
Tank on brother-man!!

[nazrmohamed]

yea phil has brought in some terrible coaches. horny is another lameduck coach and rambis is the new herb williams.

[taowave]

Apparently,I missed the genius of Phil.My humble apologies to all on the tank brigade.

Derrick Rose was a hail mary to give melo a shot at a playoff run that failed.
Noah was a fumble on the opening kick of the superbowl
Phil Jackson has failed miserably, but that is the winning strategy.
Tank on brother-man!!

[KnicksFanInSouthFL]

I don't see how anyone would see Hornacek as a good coach, much less Fisher...

[nazrmohamed]

I don't think he's a good coach but I don't think under these circumstances is easy for him to be measured. He was never the coach here, he was Phil's extension. Phil's to blame in this

[taowave]

Phil's an idiot.
You can't coach for a guy who wants your job.

I don't think he's a good coach but I don't think under these circumstances is easy for him to be measured. He was never the coach here, he was Phil's extension. Phil's to blame in this

[thewatcher]

Hornacheck was dealt a losing hand and has handled it gracefully. he isn't Scotty Skiles, and yelling at Rose and Melo to play defense wasn't going to work anyway. His GM gave him a starting center who has become awful. I have complete confidence in JH.

[KnicksFanInSouthFL]

My thing is this WTF does Hornacek know about running the Triangle Offense? Nuthin? Then what business does it have in his system? I'd honestly respect him more by speaking up against it rather than falling in line to implement a system he knows absolutely nothing about...

Kristaps Porzingis says there’s confusion ‘from top to bottom’ with Knicks’ game plans

"First of all, we don't really know the triangle that well. We're really basic with what we do," he said. "So a lot of times, it's basically one-on-one. Whoever it is. Me, Carmelo, Derrick, Courtney. We just try to make something happen. And that's not how it's supposed to be. It's very random."

Link.

[big_j_NY]

The irony to this is.......Phil hired Hornacek because Jeff had experience with the Triangle AS A COLLEGE PLAYER (and not because Phil respect Jerry Sloan)

[KnicksFanInSouthFL]

Another losing season for Jeff Hornacek (Phil Jackson and Kurt Rambis)...

[nazrmohamed]

Another losing season for Jeff Hornacek (Phil Jackson and Kurt Rambis)...

Problem with Hornicek is he just seems like too nice of a guy for this stage, and comes across as a yes man. Im sure if during the exit meeting Phil wrote a starting lineup on a piece of paper, next season that's the lineup Hornicek will be running with the exact minutes Phil told him to give each player.

[NYGM]

There are reports of Hornacek showing the fire and clashing with Melo at Brooklin..

Let's see what he can do with a better and more balanced team..

[StevoStarks]

There are reports of Hornacek showing the fire and clashing with Melo at Brooklin..

Let's see what he can do with a better and more balanced team..

Agreed. And he got screwed in Phoenix as well when they traded the entire team away and left him with a mismatched roster. Too much NY drama and Phil meddling this season to say Hornacek dropped the ball.

He gets another season in my book; one without Rose and Melo.