Nalod wrote:Willy played very little last season in spain. His contribution is remarkable but crunch time is different. His play off the bench is "Footloose and fancy free", but we all know that slows down when the game is on the line.
Willy has shown promise, I'll celebrate this but temper a call for him to start.

Maybe something like

KP/Melo/Holiday/Lee/Rose
Willy/Melo/Kuz/Holiday/Rose
Willy/KP/Kuz/Baker/Jennings
Plumlee/KP/Kuz/Lee/Rose
Plumlee/Melo/Lee/Holiday/Rose

Then close the half with the best 5 in rhythm or match up wise. If KP isn't playing well on defense or Willy is playing well, close with Willy not KP at the 5.

Just a) bench Noah completely b) move Melo to 4 full time with KP getting all the backup 4 minutes to develop his post up 4 game c) get Melo to see at 4 he should go all out energy wise at both ends for lesser minutes (like 30-32) sort of like he does on Team USA

I like this because say Melo remains a Knick for full term of his contract we want him playing the right role with his younger teammates also developing in the right role.

Nalod wrote:Willy played very little last season in spain. His contribution is remarkable but crunch time is different. His play off the bench is "Footloose and fancy free", but we all know that slows down when the game is on the line.
Willy has shown promise, I'll celebrate this but temper a call for him to start.

Earlier in the season I would have agreed. But he has been on the floor and performed well in crunch time against some pretty good teams the past few weeks.

He led a 4th quarter comeback in crunch time against the Suns and got the Knicks the lead. A lead they promptly gave up when he left with 3min to go in the game. He played a huge role in the 4th quarter in Indiana and Boston wins, too.

WaltLongmire wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

nixluva wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Nalod wrote:I tend to look at him not being denied time, but he is developing. To put him out there more might have not been a good thing.
When we have "SEEN" what he can do, we tend to extrapolate that. What is not seen is perhaps what he was not able to do because we did not put him in situations to fail.
Thus, he is developing and I do think he warrants consistent minutes, which he is earning and proving.
So lets applaud the coaching staff for handling this kid well. Lets applaud the team for not rushing a kid.

Honestly, it's not even about extrapolating stats with him. It's totally about feeling more comfortable about the game when he is out there. I was surprised the stats were as good as they were, though not surprised they were better with him out there.

Listen - we threw KP in the fire and I think we can mostly agree it helped him to get that experience. Why is Willy different? Is there any reason to wear kids gloves with him?

I think bringing him along slowly is okay in some senses, but recently he was the reason we won in Boston. And then he did not play the next game. Did not play. In a game we lost by 3pts. Why didn't he play? Who knows. He needs to be playing 20-24 minutes a night. Hornacek needs to stop trying to predict matchups. Make other teams try to stop him down low. The Wizards went small on us and killed us from outside - make the Wizards team try to stop Willy inside. Don't pre-emptively decide not to play him. He's earned 24min MINIMUM every single game. He's our best 5-man by almost any statistical measure.

Hornacek does this with Justin Holiday, too - yanking around minutes based on matchups. It's overly protective and reacting to the other team rather than have the other team react to us. If Willy Hernangomez comes in the game, the other team will have to make a defensive adjustment to respond. He's already that good. Holiday and Hernangomez are two of our best two-way players period. They both need to be getting 24 minutes a game no matter what.

This is why Jeff has to a great degree been part of his own problem. He's been hesitant to move to playing the younger guys more minutes and more consistently. Jeff seems to be scared to make the move to more minutes for the younger bench guys. Perhaps not wanting to offend the vets or maybe Phil. Whatever the reason he should go with his gut which I'm sure is telling him the kids are better for this team right now.

You're so off on this. How could you have already forgotten all the times he's played young players over our vets or when our vets are playing bad he'd put the young guys in and keep them in much longer than you would usually keep the 2nd unit in or when he just benched C.Lee and J.Noah for younger guys? JH isn't scared to offend any of these guys and has constantly called them out after games.

JH knows more about the game than any of us will ever know, he was one of the smartest players in the game during his playing days so i think for any fan to question how he plays guys or what rotations he uses is pretty ridiculous really. We don't know why he does what he does but i guarantee he has reasons for doing what he's doing. I know that you guys are now gonna say that what he's doing isn't working but this losing is so much on the players it's ridiculous. How many times has he said that they need to talk on the floor or they need to move the ball around more and whatever else he says and then we all watch the games and they hardly ever talk and always stop moving the ball so what else can the guy do really.

I'm not trying to call you guys out but it's just annoying to me when a fan wants to act like they know who should be playing and who shouldn't and who should be doing this or whatever over a head coach that's been in and around the game of basketball their entire lives. These guys are very smart and know what they're doing but when you have a team that doesn't work well with each other and don't wanna play the way they're being asked to play that's gotta be tough on the coach. I know this post is replying to you Nix but it's not an attack on you it's just where i ended up posting is all.

I have been surprised at his up and down minutes...Does he have a coach with him on the bench during the games where he gets few or no minutes?

I still think there are "political" reasons involved when older and more expensive vets like Noah remain in even when they are underperforming. I still believe that Noah will improve...just not sure it will be during this season, though, and if Phil is serious about the playoffs, Willy might have to get more and consistent playing time.

I still think there's no problem with Noah starting games as long as Billy starts getting consistent minutes which he's showing he deserves. Play the guys that are playing well. We can't just forget about KOQ in this either cause he's been one of our biggest surprises this year.

crzymdups wrote:His last two games - when he's on the floor this is a different team on offense AND defense.

17pts and 11rebs (+9 in plus/minus) in Boston in one of our best all around performances of the year.

6pts and 8rebs (+13) and changed the game tonight - gave the Knicks a lead.

Start Willy.

I'm sorry, I love Noah... but he's atrocious right now. He is the complete wrong fit at center for this team. He needs to sit for the good of the team.

DRose
CLee
Melo
KP
Willy

Will never happen. Would mean that Phil admits he made a mistake. Will never happen.

crzymdups wrote:Still time to start Willy.

#FreeWilly #FreeBilly

Though starting Noah is better for the tank...

nixluva wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:

crzymdups wrote:His last two games - when he's on the floor this is a different team on offense AND defense.

17pts and 11rebs (+9 in plus/minus) in Boston in one of our best all around performances of the year.

6pts and 8rebs (+13) and changed the game tonight - gave the Knicks a lead.

Start Willy.

I'm sorry, I love Noah... but he's atrocious right now. He is the complete wrong fit at center for this team. He needs to sit for the good of the team.

DRose
CLee
Melo
KP
Willy

Will never happen. Would mean that Phil admits he made a mistake. Will never happen.

I'm not so sure that's the case. Not when a young player you actually drafted earns the job. Willy really does look like he should be starting along with KP. It's gonna happen eventually. Just didn't realize it would be so soon.

Yea Willy and KP have the chemistry needed in the starting lineup it showed today in the starting line up vs the spurs ... Willy and KP are the future the future is now... Willy with some clutch shots today that reverse that should have been a and one was bad ass

fitzfarm wrote:

nixluva wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:

crzymdups wrote:His last two games - when he's on the floor this is a different team on offense AND defense.

17pts and 11rebs (+9 in plus/minus) in Boston in one of our best all around performances of the year.

6pts and 8rebs (+13) and changed the game tonight - gave the Knicks a lead.

Start Willy.

I'm sorry, I love Noah... but he's atrocious right now. He is the complete wrong fit at center for this team. He needs to sit for the good of the team.

DRose
CLee
Melo
KP
Willy

Will never happen. Would mean that Phil admits he made a mistake. Will never happen.

I'm not so sure that's the case. Not when a young player you actually drafted earns the job. Willy really does look like he should be starting along with KP. It's gonna happen eventually. Just didn't realize it would be so soon.

Yea Willy and KP have the chemistry needed in the starting lineup it showed today in the starting line up vs the spurs ... Willy and KP are the future the future is now... Willy with some clutch shots today that reverse that should have been a and one was bad ass

Yes, they have great chemistry together. I don't think it was a coincidence that this was KP's best defensive game in months. They need to play together more.

Only downside for the tank is we might start winning more.