New York Knicks Officially Have A Problem At Center

In the aftermath of a 118-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, a problem arises for the New York Knicks: Who should Jeff Hornacek start at center?

A big reason for the 118-114 victory was the outstanding play of Queens native Kyle O’Quinn. He tallied 20 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks while posting a +/- of +16 in 31 minutes of play.

Kyle O’Quinn has played great in the absence of the $72 million dollar man, Joakim Noah. In the four games that Joakim Noah has missed this season, the Knicks are 4-0.

Averaging 4.0 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 28.6 percent of the free throw line, Noah’s play has most Knicks fans underwhelmed. Head coach Jeff Hornacek was asked about Kyle O’Quinn position as starting center moving forward.

Per Marc Berman of The New York Post:

"“We’ll see when that happens,’’ Hornacek said. “Right now we’re just happy. We just won a game.’’"

The question is: should it happen?

First things first

The Knicks are in uncharted territory with their abundance of productive big men. The Knicks have been thin at the center position in past years. Nevertheless, it does put Hornacek in a difficult position here, stuck between starting Noah and his $72 million dollar contract or starting O’Quinn, who has been the better player as of late.

Factor in playing time for rookie Willy Hernangomez, and Hornacek is put in a difficult predicament. Whether benching Noah or Rose late in games, Hornacek has shown that he isn’t afraid to ride the hot hand and make the best decision for the team.

The Knicks are starting to put all the pieces together and have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA the last few weeks.

Best records in the Eastern Conf since Nov. 12th:
1. Knicks (7-3)
2. Cavs (6-4)
2. Raps (6-4)
2. Celts (6-4)
5. Bulls (5-3)
6. Pistons (6-5)
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) December 3, 2016

What should Hornacek do?

The New York media continues to target Joakim Noah and his inconsistent play early in the season. Unfortunately, when a team signs a player to a four-year, $72 million dollar contract, expectations will be high.

Thus far, it’s clear that Noah hasn’t been himself. Since the Knicks have shown the ability to win games without him, Hornacek should focus on Noah’s recovery and make sure he’s 100 percent healthy before bringing him back.

Whichever way you want to slice it, to win games against elite competition, the Knicks are going to need Joakim Noah on the floor, for his production and for his leadership. Believe me, I love me some Kyle O’Quinn, and for the near future, Hornacek should continue to have him in the starting lineup.

Bring Noah off the bench, slowly get his minutes back up, and when he’s back to form, return him to the starting lineup. Everyone is saying that Noah is finished, but I still think he has some juice left in the tank.

Everyone is saying that Joakim Noah is finished, and I still think he has some juice left in the tank.”

Let us not forget that Noah is a former Defensive Player of the Year. Granted, playing heavy minutes and injuries have plagued his play so far this season, but give him a chance to get his health back first. Noah doesn’t need to be a center who plays 35-to-40 minutes a game for this Knicks team, as Hornacek has an arsenal at the center position.

However, what Noah brings to the table as far as veteran leadership and a great understanding of defensive rotations is unparalleled. For the Knicks to really excel and make a playoff run, they will need Noah to anchor the defense.

The Verdict

My assumption is that Hornacek will start Joakim Noah tomorrow, being the Knicks will welcome DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings to Madison Square Garden.

Due to the fact that Noah isn’t yet 100 percent, if I were Hornacek, I’d keep Kyle O’Quinn in the starting lineup, bring Noah off the bench, and watch his minutes.

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When Noah is 100 percent healthy, he should be the Knicks starting center.

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