New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek has been criticized for sticking with veteran Jarrett Jack. On Sunday, he debuted a new point guard rotation.
The New York Knicks entered Sunday, Feb. 11 with an opportunity to set the tone for the remainder of the 2017-18 NBA regular season. With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined by a torn ACL, the Knicks have shifted their focus to a long-term youth movement.
On Sunday, head coach Jeff Hornacek embraced the need to build for the future by addressing one of the primary reasons he’s been criticized.
Hornacek has been consistently criticized for his heavy usage of Jarrett Jack at the point guard position. It’s less a criticism of Jack and more a concern about how said decision has limited the minutes distributed to up-and-coming point guards Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina.
With the arrival of Emmanuel Mudiay has come a change in philosophy, however, as Hornacek has made a significant change to his rotation.
New York traveled to play the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Feb. 11. Victor Oladipo scored 30 points to lead Indiana to a 121-113 victory, but the Knicks made significant progress in the pursuit of a sustainably solid future.
Despite starting Jack at point guard, Hornacek trusted the younger players to carry a lion’s share of the available minutes.
Jack played a grand total of eight minutes during the eight-point loss to the Pacers. In his place, the Knicks gave a vast majority of the time at point guard to a combination of Frank Ntilikina, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Trey Burke.
It’s a decision that implies the Knicks are now willing to allow the point guards of the future to play through their flaws.
Mudiay made his New York debut in sensational form, recording 14 points and 10 assists in 29 minutes of action. Frank Ntilikina complemented him with 12 points in 31 minutes, and Burke received eight minutes of his own.
The most compelling development of all was Hornacek featuring Mudiay and Ntilikina in a shared backcourt, with the new addition facilitating the offense.
There’s no guaranteeing that the Knicks will remain committed to this new-look point guard rotation. It’s a promising sign that Mudiay was featured during his first game with New York, however, as he could have understandably been limited in action.
Instead, he played 29 minutes overall and was on the floor during a fourth quarter that was as intriguing as it was dramatic.
Of equal importance is the fact that Ntilikina received 30-plus minutes of court time for the first time since Dec. 28. It was a clear display of Hornaek’s willingness to open his mind to playing the potential franchise cornerstones.
If Hornacek continues to play his up-and-coming guards through their inconsistencies, the Knicks could enter the offseason with a considerable measure of momentum and clarity.
Must Read: Players who need more playing time
This could be the beginning of a rewarding trend for Jeff Hornacek and the New York Knicks.