KORN OF PLENTY
Rookie big gets call as Knicks embrace tank
Raptors coach Dwane Casey claimed concern about Sunday’ s Garden matinee, telling his Eastern Conferenceleading squad beforehand :“This is a trap game, looking at their record. But they’re a talented, young team who plays well at home.” It was no trap, just a tank. The Knicks, taking their developmental stretch of a dead season to a new level, got even younger as Enes Kanter sat out with back spasms after getting kicked in the stomach in Milwaukee on Friday.
Although Jeff Hornacek claims he cares about winning games, his actions spoke differently as he gave rookie center Luke Kornet his first NBA start over sturdy backup Kyle O’Quinn. Kornet entered the contest having shot 2-of-18 in his previous six outings.
Courtney Lee was back from his twogame absence following a death in his family and didn’t start either, with Hornacek fielding a young and overwhelmed backcourt of rookie Frank Ntilikina and 22-year-old Emmanuel Mudiay.
Learning of the starting nod one hour before tip, Kornet scored his NBA career-high 18 points in 34 minutes, making 3-of-7 3-pointers, but the Raptors won as emphatically as expected against the junior Knicks, 132-106. It was the most points the Knicks defense has given up this season, as it did its usual switching on pick-and-rolls, leaving them scrambling to find the right man.
“They drove by us,” Hornacek said. “We weren’t good on the ball. They got open looks and they made them. It’s a challenge to keep a guy in front of you. You got to slide your feet, and it’s not easy. They really attacked us on that end.”
Coming off a 0-4 road trip, the Knicks dropped their 15th game in 16 outings and seventh straight to fall to 24-43. Just 15 games remain this season with still a chance to gain a few more lottery pingpong balls.
The Raptors, having the best season in franchise history, moved to 49-17. As the Knicks defense wasn’t up to the challenge, seven Raptors reached double-figures, led by center Jonas Valanciunas (17 points). DeMar DeRozan (nine points, five assists, 4-of-16), had an off game, and it didn’t matter.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Knicks with 25 points and provided one of their lone moments of fire when he mouthed off at Serge Ibaka, who picked up a technical in trying to get after the Knicks guard.
“It’s just motivating the guys,” Hardaway said. “Trash-talking is part of the game.”
Kornet, a two-way G-League player, made his NBA debut last month in Toronto and posted a double-double but was ragged in his previous six games. In the wake of commissioner Adam Silver admonishing the Bulls for their young lineups, Hornacek said the other day the Knicks want to win games — just with young players. It’s a fine line starting Kornet versus the beast of the East.
Kornet said, despite his 18 points, this wasn’t one of his better defensive games. In his first outing versus Toronto last month, he racked up four blocks.
“I’ve gotten better at some things, but I recognize I have a long way to go, even from this game,” Kornet said. “It’s a long road. I made several defensive mistakes. Those bother me the most — with rotations and letting them split some ball screens and being more aggressive to contest shots. I was a little tentative of going up and being aggressive and not second-guessing it.”
Hornacek claimed he thought Kornet would make a good offensive pairing with Michael Beasley, who was back in the starting lineup because of Lance Thomas’ sprained thumb.
“I felt, let’s try to mix him with Michael with the pick-and-roll,” Hornacek said. “Luke did a great job but got a little tired. He hasn’t played those minutes in a long time. When you’re shorthanded, we knew Kyle would be in soon and we got off to a decent start.”
Hornacek said the difference between Toronto this season and what makes them title contenders is the Raptors bench, which torched the Knicks again with four of their reserves notching double-figures.
Malcolm Miller hit a buzzer-beating 3 to put Toronto ahead 65-57 at halftime after C.J. Miles beat the first-quarter buzzer on wild, fadeaway 3-pointer from 27 feet that banked in. Miles laughed as he walked off the court, but the joke’s on the Knicks.