New York Knicks: Clash with Phoenix Suns a critical step towards new culture
The New York Knicks are in the process of creating a new culture. If the Knicks defeat the Phoenix Suns, then that process could be expedited.
A long-term rebuild isn’t the easiest process to stomach. New York Knicks fans and players may learn that the hard way in 2017-18, as the current roster was constructed with the goal of developing a sustainable formula for success—short-term be damned.
True as that may be, the Knicks have a rare chance to secure a season-altering victory in early November.
On Friday, Nov. 3, New York will host the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden. It may appear to be a somewhat innocuous outing, as the 3-4 Knicks will look to secure their fourth win of the season against the 4-4 Suns.
Beyond the surface statistics and standings, however, is a unique opportunity for the young players to prove their commitment to their head coach.
Prior to taking over as head coach of the Knicks, Jeff Hornacek held that same position with the Suns. Over the course of his three seasons in Phoenix, he amassed a record of 101-112—good for a win percentage of .453.
While that statistic has been thrown around by Suns apologists and those who checked Hornacek’s Wikipedia page, it’s also a number without context.
Hornacek inherited a Suns team that won just 25 games during the 2012-13 campaign. During his first season at the helm, he led the Suns to a 48-34 record in a deep Western Conference.
Not only did Hornacek help Phoenix nearly double its win total in his first season at the helm, but he did so during a season in which Eric Bledsoe missed 39 games.
During that 48-win campaign, the players who led Phoenix in games started were Channing Frye (82), PJ Tucker (81), Miles Plumlee (79), Goran Dragic (75), and Gerald Green (48). Hornacek’s success with that overachieving cast of players earned his No. 2 ranking in Coach of the Year voting.
Also critical to the context of Hornacek’s tenure: Dragic’s was named to the All-NBA Third Team for his brilliant play as Phoenix’s franchise player.
Yet, directly after Dragic’s remarkable season, the Suns re-signed Bledsoe—expected—and signed Isaiah Thomas—unexpected—to multi-year deals. Those signings were executed mere months before Dragic entered his contract year in 2014-15.
In other words: Directly after Dragic established himself as a franchise player, the Suns responded to the possibility of paying him by signing two starting-caliber players at his position.
Despite the inevitable turmoil in the locker room, Hornacek had the Suns on pace to make the playoffs in 2014-15. That, of course, ended when the front office traded Dragic to the Miami Heat in a deal that netted Brandon Knight, who missed 17 of a possible 28 games in 2014-15, and was absent for 30 games in 2015-16.
Phoenix also traded Isaiah Thomas—who has since gone on to become a two-time All-Star—for Marcus Thornton and a 2016 first-round draft pick.
The following offseason, owner Robert Sarver publicly criticized the millennial generation, singling out then Suns forward Markieff Morris by name. Once the regular season arrived, Hornacek was again leading a locker room that had been fractured by the front office.
Rather than taking accountability for their actions, Sarver and general manager Ryan McDonough made Hornacek the scapegoat by firing him in the middle of the 2014-15 campaign.
Fast forward to Friday, Nov. 3, and the Knicks will have an opportunity to exact a measure of revenge in Hornacek’s name. New York failed to do so in 2016-17, when it lost 113-111 to the Suns in overtime, and 107-105 in regulation.
Although the roster may look different now, one could argue that rebounding from those losses is more important than ever before.
By defeating Phoenix, the Knicks would be doing more than avenging two heartbreaking losses from the 2016-17 campaign. If they rally together and play their hearts out for 48 minutes, they would be showing a commitment to coach Hornacek.
Hornacek may treat this like it’s just another game, but securing a victory over the former employer that did him wrong would bring the locker room closer together.
In the process, the creation of a healthier culture in New York would be expedited by a significant measure.
Must Read: Five keys to defeating the Phoenix Suns
No game is a must-win in November, but the New York Knicks could go a long way towards showing their commitment to head coach Jeff Hornacek with a win against the Phoenix Suns.