4. The Myth, Part I: He Only Helps Guards
The most common misconception about Jeff Hornacek’s offense is that it’s only designed to help guards. Guards are given the opportunity to excel, but the stigma that his system receives is one that implies his big men get lost in the mix.
The reality of the situation is that the guards must be competent and decisive, but the frontcourt players play just as big of a role in the system’s success and failure.
In Phoenix, Hornacek ran layered pick and roll sets. A guard would come off of a high screen, as the pick and roll entails, but that’d often set up another pick and roll from 15 feet or within—a rather rare play.
That requires more than just a big body; it requires big men who know how to set proper screens, dive to the basket, and remain in motion to reach the right spot at the right time.
Furthermore, Markieff Morris had the best seasons of his career under coach Hornacek. He’s a shining example of how the system provides big men who can shoot with opportunities to space the floor and attack in isolation.
Coupled with Hornacek’s heavy use of high and low block post-ups, New York Knicks big men Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah are about to play in the perfect system for them.
Next: The Myth, Part II