Jeff Hornacek wants Cubs to be an inspiration to Knicks: Jeff Hornacek knows about title droughts. Long before joining the Knicks, the coach already was quite familiar with long-suffering fan bases. On Saturday night, the lifelong Cubs fan watched what happens when repeated misery is replaced by long-awaited exhilaration. Hornacek, who grew up in suburban Chicago, saw how much more special celebrations become when moments that never are promised actually arrive. -- New York Post

Honest Knicks admit beginning of the season may be rough: Joakim Noah admittedly is a “step slow” since suffering recent hamstring and ankle injuries. Derrick Rose has practiced with the Knicks just twice since returning from his civil trial for rape in Los Angeles. The time the team had to integrate its prized new additions is just about over, with the Knicks going the entire preseason without their starting lineup ever playing together. -- New York Post

Joakim Noah admits he's not his former self as Knicks defense struggles in preseason: It was just preseason, but it was ugly. In their final three games, the Knicks allowed an average of 109 points with opponents shooting 50%. Those defensive stumbles coincided with the return of Joakim Noah, the former Defensive Player of the Year who Sunday acknowledged that he hasn’t recovered his quickness. -- New York Daily News

Jeff Hornacek wants Knicks to get angry during Cavs ring ceremony: The Knicks drew perhaps the toughest season opener possible at Cleveland on Tuesday. But Jeff Hornacek believes there's one advantage to diving right in against the defending champs: his players get to witness the championship ring ceremony. "(I hope it does) a couple of things," Hornacek said. -- New York Daily News

Joakim Noah still trying to get his defense up to speed: With only one practice left before the opener, getting their starting point guard comfortable and up to speed with the new offense isn’t the only concern for the Knicks. The player they brought in to anchor their defense isn’t moving as well as he would like. “Right now, I feel a step slow defensively,” Joakim Noah said after Sunday’s practice. -- Newsday

With prime time here, Knicks and Noah still a step slow: With a national TV stage to see the rebuilt Knicks take on the Cavs, who will receive their championship rings, the Knicks still are very much a work in progress. They didn’t play the starting five a single minute together as a unit in the six exhibition games with Derrick Rose spending most of the preseason in a courtroom in Los Angeles. And maybe most troubling is that Joakim Noah, who arrived on a four-year, $72 million contract in the summer after struggling with injuries last year, missed much of the preseason with assorted leg injuries and admitted he’s not ready for prime time. -- The Record