Bad back sends Kristaps to bench
CARMELO Anthony’s back pain transferred to Kristaps Porzingis. The Latvian became the latest to be sidelined down the stretch of this lost season, replaced in the lineup by Maurice N’Dour – meaning the Knicks started three rookies in Tuesday’s tank-a-thon game against the Bulls.
It didn’t matter, though. Anthony scored 23 points as the Knicks snapped the Bulls’ four-game winning streak with a 100-91 victory at the Garden.
Before the game, Jeff Hornacek downplayed Porzingis’ ailment and absence, but the big man has missed 12 games this season due to injury – already more than last season. The 21-year-old is averaging 18.1 points and 7.1 rebounds on 45 % shooting, but he hasn’t taken the big leap in Year 2 like Karl AnthonyTowns and Nikola Jokic.
“The second year is always the toughest year, I think. You’re not surprising anybody,” Hornacek said. “The league now knows you. You become more of the opposing team’s plan to try to stop you. So he’s done a good job trying to get through that.”
With the futures of Anthony and Derrick Rose in doubt, Porzingis is poised to become the Knicks’ featured offensive player. He hasn’t had much practice in that role.
“Can you say that’s next year or the year after (that Porzingis is ready to be the go-to guy)? He’s made great strides and he’s heading that way,” Hornacek said.
Anthony returned to the lineup Tuesday following a two-game absence because of a sore back.
ROSE WAITS ON SURGERY
According to the Knicks, Derrick Rose has not yet scheduled surgery on his torn meniscus. There’s no particular rush since he’s out for the season and likely played his final game with the Knicks.
Still, Hornacek said brass will discuss re-signing the point guard. A source said Rose will probably command only a one-year, make-good deal over the summer given his injury history.
“We’ll sit down and try to figure out what to do going forward. Derrick did a lot of good things for us this year. The way he can break down the defense and as the season went on I thought he got a little bit more comfortable with the offense,” Hornacek said. “We’ll go over it at the end of the year. It’s a guy that we’ll definitely take a look at and see if we can bring him back.”
THE BRIGHT SIDE
The re-commitment to Phil Jackson’s triangle offense will help the Knicks target free agents, according to Hornacek.
“If we know the offense, then Phil and (GM Steve Mills) and those guys will talk about players while envisioning how they fit in this system,” the coach said “Some guys may be better in a wide-open court. If it’s a defensive guy, maybe a set offense helps him more. So all that comes in.”