Jax’s Vision Now Seems Off
Lastly, and certainly not least importantly comes the real issue at heart.
Should small-ball — with Melo at the four and KP at the five — take hold of Hornacek’s vision and catapult the Knicks to success this season, it would mean Phil Jackson’s vision needs a trip to the eye doctor.
We all understand Jax has had “issues” in catching up with the rest of the league. On numerous occasions, he’s shockingly come out criticizing the new age of 3-point ball. His doubts about the Golden State Warriors and small ball, in general, have risen a ton of eyebrows around the Association.
His choosing of personnel correlates with these comments.
Hornacek didn’t have a chance in choosing his own starting lineup. Thanks to the headline-busting acquisitions of both Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose, his hand was forced in playing KP at the four and Melo at the three. Additionally, the bench is loaded with frontcourt players.
For a brand new head coach who loves preaching uptempo pace and beyond the arc scoring, Jax’s vision for the personnel simply hasn’t matched up. A smaller three-man — ideally, a guy who can also play the two — would fit Hornacek’s principles like a glove. Better yet, it would have fit the new age NBA.
While it was only one solitary half of basketball that the Knicks went small and dominated the warning signs are out in full force that this is their destiny.
Small ball wins games in the NBA in the year 2016. And for Melo, it allows him to dominate at his current aged 32 body. It’s as simple as that.
