Referees treating Kornet like rook
PHILADELPHIA — Luke Kornet got paid the ultimate compliment from Jeff Hornacek. The Knicks coach has lobbied on the rookie center’s behalf with the officiating.
In the back-to-back set Sunday and Monday against the Wizards and Hornets, Kornet banged bodies with two of the NBA’s behemoths in Marcin Gortat and Dwight Howard. And the lithe 3-point-shooting 7foot-1 center from Vanderbilt lived to tell about it.
Hornacek said Kornet is getting “treated like a rookie’’ by the officials.
“He’s doing a great job sliding his feet, jumping up and using his verticality,’’ said Hornacek, whose Knicks face the 76ers on Wednesday. “He’s getting called for some of those fouls that typically happen to a rookie not getting the benefit of the call. That’s a great sign. As coaches, we say they’re probably not fouls, continue to do it, and as time goes on, they’ll be great plays.’’
Against the Hornets, Kornet actually drew a charge against Howard and stripped the ball from exKnick center Willy Hernangomez.
Ironically, Knicks brass deemed Hernangomez expendable because of Kornet’s new-age potential. However, the NBA still has some bruisers left, like Howard.
“It was great to play against him,’’ Kornet said. “He’s been one of the great ones in this league for a long time. I defi- nitely will hit the weight room pretty hard in the summer. He was throwing me around a little on the offensive rebounding. Just physicality I have to play with — not only against him but everybody. Something I will learn and prepare for more.’’
Kornet scored eight points and had five rebounds in 26 minutes in the Knicks’ overtime loss to Charlotte. He had 10 points against the Wizards. Both games he shot 2-of-4 from 3. He’ll need to jack up his 33 percent shooting from 3-point range — and he should — to justify his defensive limitations.
His modest shooting percentage, Kornet contends, is a result of “getting used to the flow, playing with new guys and a couple of games I just missed shots. I’m feeling good and confident now shooting the ball.’’
It sounded like even Hornacek saw something different from Trey Burke in his second start as a Knick, when he compiled 42 points Monday. For whatever politics were at work, Hornacek waited more than two months to start Burke.
“He’s been playing great,’’ Hornacek said. “He’s hard to guard one-on-one. He seems he gets his shot off whenever he wants, has a great step-back [jumper]. He’s like [Charlotte’s] Kemba [ Walker].
Damyean Dotson (foot), Courtney Lee (foot), O’Quinn (hip), Emmanuel Mudiay (illness) are listed as questionable against Philadelphia.