Jeff Hornacek finally made a change to the Knicks’ starting lineup, and the move was puzzling.
Wanting more ball movement with the first unit, Hornacek started Ron Baker and brought Courtney Lee off the bench. The Knicks’ problem has been defense and a lack of effort. Lee is the Knicks’ best perimeter defender and is one of the few starters who consistently plays with effort and energy.
The Knicks started Derrick Rose, Baker, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Carmelo Anthony and Joakim Noah against Atlanta in their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee. Kristaps Porzingis was unavailable for the third straight game because of a sore left Achilles.