New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek praised Lance Thomas for his defense and leadership. Thomas doesn’t believe his play deserves praise.
In 2015-16, no player did more to win New York Knicks fans over than hybrid forward Lance Thomas. Committed to defending at the highest possible level, Thomas embodied the New York grit that fans had been longing to see since 2012-13, if not 2001.
After struggling to stay healthy during the 2016-17 regular season, Thomas is back at 100 percent and returning to his invaluable form.
Thomas burst back onto the scene against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Nov. 5. His defense played a definitive role in the Knicks’ 19-point comeback, as he helped lock down Victor Oladipo during the most critical stretch of the fourth quarter.
According to Peter Botte and Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, head coach Jeff Hornacek couldn’t contain his praise for Thomas’ defense and leadership.
"“You can’t say enough about Lance Thomas. Look at his stat line and see what it was, the big number was plus-23. He brought that defensive energy that we needed,” Jeff Hornacek said. “That’s Lance. He’s maybe our best defender. He takes on any challenge.“That’s kind of his role, to be that defensive guy. He’s been a great leader for us, as a team, even though we don’t play him big minutes. But he’s always ready. He’s a professional and he probably gets two game balls tonight instead of just one.”"
Thomas may not produce big numbers—and in some case, numbers at all—but his defense and leadership have been nothing short of invaluable.
Thomas has displayed an invaluable willingness to defend the opposition’s best scorer. He’s not only a positionally versatile forward, but he can adequately defend both wing positions and power forwards with reasonable effectiveness.
Even when the opposition is able to score, Thomas utilizes his powerful 6’8″ frame and quality wingspan to frustrate players at multiple positions.
https://t.co/6yhPHu8BEB It's Gametime! Opened up my playlist for collaboration -- help me get fired up!
— Lance Thomas (@MrLance42) November 7, 2017
Beyond his individual defense, Thomas sets an excellent example for the younger players, and influences the play of those around him.
New York currently has defensive ratings of 104.0 when Thomas is on the court and 106.0 when he isn’t. Those statistics adequately display his value on the defensive end of the floor, as his teammates play harder when he’s on the floor.
Per Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Thomas is grateful for the praise, but he doesn’t want to be patted on the back for doing what’s expected of him.
"A lot of the things I do for this team, I don’t need praise for it. I don’t need a pat on the back. I do it because it’s what my teammates expect of me and I also do it because I know that’s what I’m capable of."
That mentality is one of maturity, responsibility, and accountability—all of which are principles that the younger players would benefit from learning to embrace.
On a night when everyone is on their game, Thomas will be the first player to dive for a loose ball. On a night when his teammates are sluggish and slow out of the gates, he’ll still make that same play—no questions asked, no hesitation whatsoever.
Whether he plays 30-plus minutes or less than 20, Thomas has an uncanny ability to provide energy on the defensive end of the floor.
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New York Knicks forward Lance Thomas deserves praise for his effort and energy on defense, but he doesn’t want it. He just wants his teammates to play as hard as he does.