Baker cooks up masterful effort
MILWAUKEE — Jeff Hornacek “wanted’’ Ron Baker Friday night for the entire fourth quarter and now the undrafted rookie Ron Baker no longer has to worry about sticking with the Knicks for the entire season. During garbage time, Baker has been met by “We Want Baker’’ chants at the end of Garden games, but he showed Friday he can lend a hand in the clutch. Baker’s contract didn’t become guaranteed for the rest of the season until Jan. 10 and with the Knicks on the skids and Chasson Randle playing well in Westchester, nothing was certain. Now it is. Hornacek, who looked like he was throwing in the towel and waiting for Saturday’s game in Indiana, tabbed Baker to start the fourth quarter and the club down 13 and he propelled a stunning comeback win over the Bucks 116-111. In his 12 minutes, Baker scored six points, was 4 of 4 from the line, notched four assists and drew a key charge late. Even Carmelo Anthony gushed. “Amazing minutes, big minutes. One of the biggest reasons we came out with this victory,’’ Anthony said. “Any time you give us major minutes and be a big part of what we were doing out here, he showed something tonight.’’
Baker, who played three games for the Westchester Knicks, has called himself Hornacek’s “doppelganger” because of their similar backgrounds.
“Obviously it’s a lot of fun, a lot more fun to win, to be in a tight game like this,’’ Baker said. “It gets the nerves going a little bit. But to get this game under my belt and get my first true win as an NBA player feels good.
“Obviously the coaching staff has a lot of trust in me and to play behind two great point guards in Derrick [Rose] and Brandon [Jennings] I get to learn a ton from them. It gives me the confidence to go out and play.’’
Hornacek said he had a hunch Baker could run the offense, get Anthony the ball in the right position at the elbow (a triangle set) and give them physicality and more size on defense to slow down the Bucks.
“Sitting there for three quarters and not getting in the game, I tried my best to cheer my teammates on,’’ Baker said. “When my opportunity gets called, I try to put my best foot forward.’’
Baker’s emergence meant Derrick Rose sat the entire fourth quarter after going 4 of 14 with 12 points and eight assists. Hornacek said earlier in the day he would like to see Rose make an adjustment on his drives and draw more contact so he can get to the free-throw line.
“I think he does get fouled sometimes, but sometimes he’s giving the doublepump in there,’’ Hornacek said. “When a referee sees that, they think he’s just avoiding the contact. Derrick has looked at it. He knows he has to get to the free-throw line more and try to be aggressive going at guys instead of avoiding them and still try to make the shot. He’ll mix that up. But we got to get him more to the free-throw
line.’’