New York Knicks: The Coaches Love Marshall Plumlee’s Energy
New York Knicks big man Marshall Plumlee has already won his coaching staff over. Head coach Jeff Hornacek believes the fans are the next to adore him.
Head coach Jeff Hornacek and the New York Knicks are in the process of creating and crafting rotations. Though the starting lineup and sixth man have been named, nothing else has been determined.
One of the players who’s making a compelling case for a spot in the rotation is rookie center Marshall Plumlee.
Plumlee has seen an increase in playing time in each of the Knicks’ preseason games. He played relatively well, but received criticism for the fact that he got into foul trouble against the Brooklyn Nets.
According to Steve Popper of The Record, Plumlee has no qualms about getting into foul trouble during his recent preseason showing.
"“I have no regrets about my performance,” he said. “There’s definitely a learning moment there — some of the nuances of the game and how it’s refereed — but I gave 100-percent effort, put it all out there, and I’m never going to have any regrets if I do that.“The coaches told me, ‘Don’t worry about the fouls. Keep playing aggressive. Play smarter, but don’t worry about the fouls.’ They like the energy I bring and that’s part of it.”"
Every great Knicks team has enjoyed the presence of a physical enforcer.
Plumlee spent the past four years playing for the Duke Blue Devils. He helped Duke win the national championship in 2015 and a defining role on a Blue Devils squad that reached the Sweet 16 in 2016.
Plumlee finished the 2015-16 season with averages of 8.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 0.8 steals in 30.5 minutes per game.
That includes the 23 points he recorded in the Round of 64, and the 10 rebounds and five blocks he posted in the Round of 32.
Plumlee is now attempting to win the job of backup center in New York. Joakim Noah is locked into the role of the starter, but the backup has yet to be named.
Head coach Hornacek recently stated that there’s a three-man race for that distinction between Willy Hernangomez, Kyle O’Quinn, and Plumlee.
Per Popper, coach Hornacek doesn’t know who the backup center will be, but he believes that Plumlee will soon join Brandon Jennings as one of the local fan favorites.
"“I think he’s going to be right there in the group with Brandon Jennings for crowd favorite,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “I think they love when Marshall goes out there. He just plays with all he’s got every second he’s out there.”"
That’s high praise considering how quickly Jennings has endeared himself to Knicks fans.
Plumlee will work as hard as anyone on the court during any given game. That alone would help New York create continuity behind Noah, who’s revered for his tenacity.
For a Knicks team that’s been criticized for an absence of depth, Plumlee’s emergence could alter the trajectory of the season.
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The coaches love Plumlee’s energy. He could soon be a key asset to the rotation.