By John Schmeelk

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As is often the case with the Knicks, it has taken an injury for them to play the way they should have been playing all along.

Judging by what head coach Jeff Hornacek did during his days in Phoenix, it’s also possible what we’re seeing now is the way he would have wanted things to go if he wasn’t hamstrung by Phil Jackson’s big man-laden roster.

With Joakim Noah hurt, Hornacek has wisely gone small, with Carmelo Anthony moving to power forward. He has been paired with Kyle O’Quinn in the starting lineup for now, but it would appear it is only a matter of time before he begins starting games alongside Kristaps Porzingis.

We saw a sneak peak of that combination on Thursday night with the two playing 16 minutes on the floor together. New York’s offense was spectacular with them on the floor at the same time, but, unfortunately, its defense was just as poor. The Knicks improved their play in their own end during the fourth quarter, but that will have continue if there is ever going to be balance.

With Anthony and Porzingis in the game, the floor opened and a ton of space was created for guards to drive to the basket and kick to shooters. Everyone in the game today can hit a jump shot. But the new configuration has the ability to create mismatches for Anthony and Porzingis to get better shots against bigger and slower defenders.

With the Knicks’ defense already being one of the worst in the league using the traditional lineup of Noah, Porzingis and Anthony, what does the team have to lose at this point? They truly cannot get much worse defensively, but their scoring can get significantly better by utilizing a smaller lineup.

The bigger question revolves around what Hornacek will do when Noah comes back. O’Quinn continues to be productive. Willy Hernangomez needs playing time off the bench to continue to develop. He has shown a very nice offensive game when given playing time. If Porzingis becomes the starting center at some point, at least one of those three will never play. The other will only play limited minutes as a third-string center.

With Hernangomez being young, and O’Quinn often filling up the box score, it makes more sense from a basketball standpoint not to play Noah. His rebounding has improved recently, but he is still a huge negative on offense, and his defense is not impacting the team’s success the way many anticipated heading into season. But will Hornacek be willing to sit down Jackson’s $72 million man? It remains to be seen.

It’s good to see Hornacek finally installing a system he had success with in Phoenix, when he played Channing Frye at center and spread the floor. Whether the Knicks’ defense will allow the improved offense to positively help the win/loss record is a different matter, but at least it gives them a better chance.

Schmeelk Snippets

After killing the Wizards with pick and rolls late in the fourth quarter on Thursday, the Knicks inexplicably went to Anthony isolations on their final two possessions. Neither one netted points. Derrick Rose was getting to the rim at will and there wasn’t much of a reason to go away from it.

I like Courtney Lee out there with the second unit along with Porzingis. He gets more opportunities to make things happen with the ball in his hands as a scorer. When he was on the floor with Rose and Anthony he was relegated to a spot-up shooter.

I was never a fan of Brandon Jennings before he got to the Knicks, but the way he played earlier in the season made me start to rethink my opinion. However, how he has played the last month has brought back my disdain. There is far too much dribbling and shooting of low-percentage step-back jump shots. I’d much prefer to see Ron Baker at this point, who is also better defensively.

Mindaugas Kuzminskas looks like he is goinig to be a very useful player. He is very active, can hit the open 3-pointer, and is improving defensively. At some point he might make Lance Thomas an expendable piece in a trade, or be a valuable commodity himself.

Rose continues to be a disaster defensively. It’s truly amazing how someone with so much quickness and burst can be so bad at staying in front of opposing point guards. Porzingis did a better job on John Wall than Rose did. Until the Knicks’ defense gets better against quick point guards and high screen and rolls, this defense will continue to suffer.

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