The New York Knicks: Here We Go Again | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

The New York Knicks: Here We Go Again

The Knicks' coaching carousel continues with the hiring of Jeff Hornacek.

8
The New York Knicks: Here We Go Again

There’s a new sheriff in town.

After weeks of deliberation and interviews, New York Knicks president Phil Jackson has chosen Jeff Hornacek to be the team’s next head coach. Hornacek, a former player best known for his time spent with John Stockton and Karl Malone on the Utah Jazz, comes to New York after serving as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns for two and a half seasons.

Reactions to the Hornacek hire have been mixed. He is without a doubt a proven coach, having led the Suns to 48 wins in his first season. Moreover, many Knicks, Carmelo Anthony most notably, have praised Hornacek and his resumé.

Nevertheless, I, like many Knicks fans, am not super excited about Hornacek’s arrival. While I respect Hornacek and think he can be an elite coach in the NBA, I do not think that he is the right fit for this team.

Anyone familiar with the Knicks in recent years knows that Phil Jackson calls the shots. As a member of the last New York Knicks team to win an NBA Championship in 1973, the Zen Master returned to Madison Square Garden in 2014 to restore New York to its former basketball glory. Part of Jackson’s master plan to right the ship has been to implement the legendary triangle offense.

Although the triangle offense has proven to be successful in the NBA, Jackson used it as a coach to win six championships with the Chicago Bulls and five with the Los Angeles Lakers, it has yet to change the Knicks’ losing ways. Part of the issue has been the lack of proper personnel, but the addition of Jeff Hornacek doesn’t make things much better.

In Phoenix, Hornacek ran an up-tempo offense with a major emphasis on guard play and running in transition. This is essentially the antithesis of the triangle offense, which is methodical and relies heavily on ball movement and basket cuts. Hornacek’s lack of familiarity with the triangle offense is the biggest mystery surrounding his hire. Why hire a coach who knows next-to-nothing about the system you want to put in place?

Nevertheless, maybe I’m missing something here. Maybe Phil Jackson has realized the triangle won’t work in New York and has decided to take a new approach. Besides, if Jackson wanted a coach well-versed in the triangle, he could have just promoted Kurt Rambis, Jackson’s assistant in Los Angeles for eight seasons, from interim head coach. He didn’t do this, however, which has only raised more questions.

The only thing certain at this point is that Jeff Hornacek is here to stay. As a lifelong Knicks fan tired of the losing, I just want to see success. If Phil Jackson thinks Jeff Hornacek is the guy who can bring that success, I have no choice but to trust him.

Worst case scenario: Hornacek gets the boot in two years and we get to have this same conversation again.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

802
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

15788
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3260
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments